Author : Gordoncillo, Prudenciano

Summary : This study was conducted to identify the factors and the extent to which each factor affects delinquency in irrigation payments of the farmer irrigators of the Lasang Irrigation System in Carmen, Davao, Philippines. It attempted to see a difference between the delinquent and the non-delinquent irrigators. Data gathered were examined to identify a relevant relationships between the probability of the farmers' decision not to pay and some selected attributes. A simple comparison of means using the Z-tests was employed to determine a difference between delinquent and non-deliquent farmer irrigators for selected socioeconomic attributes. Multiple linear regression models were used to identify factors that affect delinquency and the extent to which each variable affects the problem. The effects of socioeconomic, administrative, institutional, attitudinal, and locational factors on the probability of the farmers choosing not to pay the irrigation fee were quantified using the logit regression model. One hundred sixty-three farmer irrigators were randomly selected from the total population covered by the Lasang Irrigation System. One hundred six non-deliquent and 57 deliquent respondents were surveyed. Using the Z-test, it was observed that a significant difference existed between the deliquent and non-deliquent farmer irrigators, particularly in considering the value of assets owned, value of outstanding loan, household size, and net farm income. Based on the multiple linear regression analyses, the major factor affecting irrigation payments were farming experience, a dummy variable capturing farmers' attitude toward the chances of the irrigation services of the National Irrigation Authority (NIA) being improved when they paid regularly, value of assets, value of outstanding loan, and average household expenditures. The probability that the farmer decides not to pay was significantly affected by the dummy variable capturing the effect of farmer's attitude toward the chances of delinquent farmers.