Philippines is primarily an agricultural country.

Most
citizens still lived in rural areas and supports themselves
through agriculture. The country’s agricultural sector is made
up of four subsectors namely: farming, fisheries, livestock, and
forestry.
Barangay Mataoroc is one of the barangays in Minalabac, Camarines
Sur that has the capability to supply rice in the province. To
sustain the supply of rice, they manage their rice field by
providing an attainable irrigation system. And this irrigation
system falls under a communal irrigation system.

CLO 1. OVERVIEW AND HISTORY OF THE MATAOROC IRRIGATION SYSTEM

The irrigation engineering claims that it started in Egypt
about 5000 years ago. The very first irrigation system in the
barangay is a primitive kind irrigation system by earthen canals
way back in 1938 led by Valentin Dileña, a water tender. Later
on, a dam was built around 1970 but the information about its
elevation is not given due to the fact that this dam is already
old and the original plan was gone. The kind of dam placed in
barangay Mataoroc is gravity dam in which it relies on gravity
to hold them in place. Moreover, they are generally made from
concrete, masonry, or both, and in cross-section are typically
triangular. This Mataoroc Communal Irrigation System (CIS) in
such way that it falls under communal irrigation system due to
the number of hectares it can cover. This irrigation system can
cover about 248 hectares of rice field in which about 187 farmers
can be benefited, Additionally, this dam has no pump and this
is operated and maintained by farmers. To maintain this, finance
is being assisted to the farmer by their irrigators association
in which they renew their association license in year 2001.

Reflection:
As time passes by, we can really witness how things change.
The society evolve as well as the infrastructure, they adapt to
the need of the community. Vast rice fields and farmers are being
benefited from such breakthrough of irrigation system. It was
also seen that a certain agency of government such as NIA helps
to regulates the status of the irrigation system of a community
with the help of irrigators’ association. With the help of
engineering principles, we are able to improve or invent this
just like the irrigation system to comply with the need of
agriculture. The only concern is how to keep this up in the
future.
CLO 2. PRACTICES OF CIVIL ENGINEERS IN RELATION TO THEIR INTERACTION
WITH THE SOCIETY
Irrigation is engaged with the field of civil engineering
especially with water resources engineering. Building such
construction especially the dam is complex and requires a wide
range of professionals from different disciplines. Civil
Engineers are generally responsible for determining the best
type of dam suitable for the community and for producing
technical drawings showing the construction process. Geologists
and hydrologists played as a consultant on the technical details
of the site and the required specifications dependent on the
amount of water involved. Mechanical engineers will be
contracted to design the necessary pipework, valves, and
floodgates. Geotechnical engineers will however determine
whether the rock or soil below the proposed dam is strong enough
to accommodate the weight and for determining possible
permeability.

Reflection:
Building an infrastructure is not only built by civil
engineers but rather requires help from other profession. This
is due to the fact that there are some factors to consider. In
the case of irrigation system, we need to consider the foundation
of the dam where we must know something about the soil where it
is wish to be built. Machineries is always used therefore
consultation with the mechanical engineers is vital to the
construction.

CLO 3. TREND OF CIVIL ENGINEERING DEVELOPMENT

The Mataoroc Communal Irrigation System (CIS) faces
difficulties at some times. First, number of cycles that farmers
harvest. This kind of problem is being brought by the water
hyacinth at the river bank. In order to get rid of the water
hyacinths, civil engineers must coordinate with the mechanical
engineers to come up with a water hyacinth harvester and this
wate hyacinth can be a source livelihood also. Second, the
earthen canals that may lead to corrosion. Though some of the
canals were cemented, there still a portion of the rice field
were earthen canal were present. It is proposed used a special
kind of cement just like the cement used in tunnels to avoid the
water to pass through and in order for the canals to last because
some of the broken concrete canals. Additionally, dredging of
the canals is proposed in order to improve the flow of water
supply with the help of hydraulic cranes to clean it up. Third,
the floodgates were manually opened resulting to flooding
(during typhoon) of the rice field and nearby houses on the canal
area. Recently, a typhoon hRit the region which leads to flooding
 of some remoted areas like Barangay Mataoroc. It is advisable
to level up these floodgates with the help of information
technology to design an automated floodgate just like in Three
Gorges Dam.

Reflection:
There are several types of problem in a community but civil
engineers can provide solution to certain problems. From the
case at Barangay Mataoroc that there are several proposed
solutions that can benefit the community. It only proves that
there is always a solution for every problem with that we must
look at the brighter side in order to be productive and able to
help others.

CLO 4. RELATIONSHIP OF CIVIL ENGINEERING TO ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

With the proposed project in the vicinity of Barangay
Mataoroc different machineries may operate around the area in
such way it may affect positively or negatively the environment.
The water hyacinth harvester is an advantageous way to clean the
water resource and to provide an adequate amount of water supply
to the rice field. It can also serve as a source of livelihood
which became a win-win situation for the people around the area.
This results to a positive impact towards the environment itself.
With regards to the dredging of the canal and conversion of
earthen canal into concrete canal, it may also bring a positive
impact to maintain the cleanliness which removes the sediments
that form at the surface and provide a smooth flow of water supply
through the rice field. Additionally, it will also prevent the
corrosion of the soil if the concreted canal is made possible.
The automated floodgates will serve as a precautionary measure
in order to prevent flood from the rice field and nearby
households.

Reflection:
Construction of the proposed project that bring positive
or negative impact on the environment. But there comes a point
where these projects brought positive impact on the environment
and the people itself. Just like the proposed project for
Barangay Mataoroc wherein it helps the environment and ensures
the safety of the community.