UPRIIS’ Salazar adjudged as NIA’s best operations manager

CABANATUAN CITY, Nueva Ecija–The multi-awarded chief of the Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation Systems, has been adjudged as outstanding operations  manager by the National Irrigation Administration.

          Josephine Salazar, UPRIIS operations manager, was conferred the prestigious award by NIA Administrator Claro Maranan and senior deputy administrator Felix Razo during awarding ceremonies at the agency’s central office in Quezon City during its 51st anniversary celebration Friday.

          The Personnel Reward And Incentives System Evaluation (PRAISE) committee chaired by Razo cited Salazar for her “exemplary leadership and good governance of UPRIIS which contributed significantly to NIA’s corporate viability and more importantly to the food security program of the government.”

Aside from Razo, the committee was also composed of deputy administrator Lorna Grace Rosario (vice chairman) and deputy administrator Modesto Membreve, Rebecca Malazarte, Angelina Angeles, Conchita Calsana and Louella Mercado, members.

Salazar posted an over-all ranking of 90.84 after UPRIIS ranked highly in terms of operation and maintenance, financial performance, institutional development, project implementation.

          UPRIIS, under her stewardship posted an irrigation service fee (ISF) collection of P297.9 million in 2013, up from P280.196 million in 2012. 

          A holder of a masteral degree in regional development at the University of Queensland, Australia in 2004, Salazar is on record as the youngest and first-ever female operations manager to head a NIS administratively supervised by the male-dominated NIA in its 51-year history.

Before becoming operations manager , she served in various capacities as engineer A, engineer B, senior engineer A, supervising enginer and principal engineer C of UPRIIS’Division 3.

          Salazar, who was three months old when NIA was created by then-President Diosdado Macapagal, was also adjudged most outstanding irrigation management officer and best irrigation service fee (ISF) provider in 2009 and most outstanding division manager of the year, ISF top grosser in 2010 and highest ISF back account collection in 2010.

Her division was also given the best managed frontline irrigation service award, most viable irrigation management office (IMO) and best maintained division in 2010.

          In September 2012, President Aquino conferred on her the prestigious Pag-asa Award of the Civil Service Commission for exemplary performance in government service.  

          UPRIIS is the country’s largest national irrigation system (NIS). It irrigates 102,000 hectares of agricultural lands in Central Luzon which also hosts the third largest NIS – the Angat Maasim River Irrigation System that runs and operates the Bustos Dam in Bulacan. (Manny Galvez)