MANILA, Philippines — Work on the damaged portions of the Banaue Rice Terraces, particularly those in Batad, Ifugao will start soon as the Department of Agriculture (DA) announced the completion of the plan for the P36.25-million project.

Led by the DA, the multiagency team crafted a one-year operational, work and financial plan, with P23.89 million of the cost bankrolled by the department as soon as Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala would agree.

Assistant Secretary and National Rice Program (NRP) Coordinator Dante S. Delima said the work will start after the DA and its Cordillera regional office, National Irrigation Administration (NIA), Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), provincial and municipal local government officials under Gov. Eugene Balitang and the office of Ifugao Rep. Teodoro Baguilat Jr. completed the mechanics of the project.

DA is ready with a P1 million fund to jumpstart the rehabilitation work in Batad while awaiting the release of funds by Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

Baguilat committed an additional P10 million from his Priority Development Fund Allocation (PDAF) for the rice terraces restoration project on top of the initial P20 million committed by DA and another P10 million from the office of Sen. Francis Pangilinan.

The plan includes three major components, said Dr. Danilo Daguio, DA Cordillera regional technical director. It covers production, extension support and agri-infrastructure support components.

Under production support, the project entails the establishment of community seed banks, nurseries, reforestation and soil and water conservation measures.

Extension support activities include technology demonstration for farm mechanization, establishment of rice-based farming systems, conduct of farmer field schools, strengthening of rural-based organizations, and other related extension activities and training activities.

Agri-infrastructure support will involve restoration of damaged and abandoned rice terraces, construction of protection walls, rehabilitation and improvement of irrigation facilities and other irrigation projects supporting the rice terraces, construction of cobble stone solar dryers, and installation of a hydraulic ram pump.

Daguio said a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) binding all the parties will be crafted along with the work programs for agri-infrastructure.

The operational plan targets the restoration of 8,700 cubic meters of eroded stone walls, rehabilitation of 2.5 kilometers of irrigation system to irrigate 106 hectares of rice paddies, reforestation of 25 hectares of watershed, an increase in forest cover in 12 hectares of communal forests called “pinugo,” establishment of barangay nursery, improvement of five kilometers of farm-to-market roads, and intensified information, education and communication activities.

An FMR component is also being eyed for funding by the DA through the office of Baguilat, while restoration projects will be undertaken under a convergence initiative between the local government and DSWD’s cash-for-work program, Daguio added.

No less than 38 paddies of the terraces in Batad town collapsed in September 2011 during the onslaught of typhoons "Pedring" and "Quiel."

Irrigation infrastructure and footpaths were also severely damaged, leading to total losses and damages in crops, livestock and agri-infrastructure estimated at P872-million.

On October 17, 2011, the provincial government of Ifugao submitted a project proposal entitled, “Emergency Assistance for the Restoration of the Banaue Rice Terraces at Batad, Banaue,” with an estimated project cost of P20 million.

Alcala visited Ifugao on November 25, 2011 and approved in principle the proposed P20 million needed to restore the Batad Rice Terraces.

On January 28, 2012, Assistant Secretary Delima also visited the town to meet with the provincial government headed by Gov. Eugene Balitang and confirmed the approval of the proposal after validating the proposed rehabilitation project.