LOWER UMA, Lubuagan, Kalinga — When water returned to Sitio Colong, the rice fields followed. What had been dry, idle land for years is now planted again, powered by a rebuilt communal irrigation system that farmers say they own—not just use.
For years, the irrigation system in Sitio Colong lay damaged by disasters, cutting off the community’s main water source. Farming slowed, then stopped. Families relied on rain that no longer came on time, and creeks that ran dry during summer and El Niño. Fields cracked. Harvests disappeared.
“We stopped tilling our fields. There was no water to grow anything,” recalled Raffy Sama-on, a partner-beneficiary from Sitio Colong.
Without a functioning canal, rice paddies and gardens were left idle. Income fell, food supply tightened, and many farmers waited for conditions to change.
The turning point came during a community consultation. When residents were asked what they needed most, the answer was unanimous: irrigation.
Through Project LAWA at BINHI, DSWD FO CAR–SWAD Kalinga, in partnership with the Provincial Government of Kalinga, the Municipal Government of Lubuagan, and Barangay Lower Uma, committed to rehabilitate the communal irrigation system identified in the Barangay Development Plan.
Before construction began, partner-beneficiaries took part in site validation, geotagging, and a three-day learning session on disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation. Technical inputs were paired with indigenous practices, ensuring the system would match local conditions.
Implementation followed soon after—and it was labor-intensive. Farmers hauled construction materials along steep terrain, cleared the old canal route, and rebuilt concrete linings under the guidance of technical staff from the Provincial Engineering Office of the Provincial Local Government of Kalinga and barangay officials.
“This is our project. We felt it was ours,” said Raffy Sama-on, a partner-beneficiary. “The ownership of the project is really with the partner-beneficiaries.”
When water finally ran through the newly rebuilt communal irrigation system in Sitio Colong, farming resumed almost immediately. Rice paddies were replanted. Vegetable plots expanded. Farmers were able to irrigate more land and plant more consistently, even during dry months.
“Before, we barely finished one cropping cycle,” said Mabini Menton, another partner-beneficiary. “Now we plant and harvest regularly.”
Food on the Table, Income in the Household
With improved yields, some families began selling surplus produce in nearby markets. Dependence on relief assistance declined, household food supply stabilized, and confidence among farmers returned.
Shared Roles, Shared Responsibility
The project’s completion was the result of coordinated roles: SWAD Kalinga led implementation and beneficiary engagement; the Provincial Local Government of Kalinga provided technical support and a ₱250,000 counterpart for construction materials, with support from the Municipal Local Government of Lubuagan; barangay officials ensured on-site monitoring; and farmers carried out the work on the ground.
Despite the sitio’s remoteness and unpredictable weather, challenges were addressed through collective effort.
Today, the irrigation system is maintained by the partner-beneficiaries themselves under an agreed maintenance schedule. Discussions are underway to replicate the model in nearby sitios, using the same community-led approach.
“This project shows what happens when the community is not just helped, but trusted,” said Barangay Chairperson Clara Aboli.
The success of Sitio Colong’s irrigation project is a testament to what can be achieved when people come together, when plans reflect real needs, and when actions are rooted in compassion and strategy. The fields are green again, and so are the dreams of the farmers who cultivate them.
“You don’t just bring water to our fields, you bring life back to our community” Barangay Chairperson Aboli said. # DSWD-CAR Social Marketing Unit – Novelle G. Ongat, Information Officer II, Disaster Response Management Division
