Partido Reporma standard-bearer Panfilo "Ping" Lacson has assured Filipino farmers a wider state-funded program that would install solar-powered irrigation systems (SPIS) on their paddy fields and plantations.
Lacson revealed this plan in a dialogue with farm leaders and agricultural workers last Sunday, Feb. 20, in Santa Rosa, Nueva Ecija where he and running mate Senate President Vicente ‘Tito’ Sotto III were asked how they intend to address their problems on irrigation.
The presidential candidate attested to the benefits of SPIS, which he himself has already tried and tested the technology in his small two-hectare farm in Imus, Cavite where he grows crops like tomatoes, calamansi, and lettuce as pastime.
“Naglagay po ako ng solar kasi maganda ‘yung pump e (I put a solar powered water pump because the pump was good, you know). Maganda ‘yung tubig sa ilalim (There was a good water supply underneath). Ang problema kuryente (The problem was electricity). So, naglagay po ako ng solar panel, konti lang—siguro mga 12 panels yata ‘yon—ang halaga parang P650,000 (So, I placed solar panels, just a few—about 12 panels, I think—which cost around P650,000),’’ he narrated.
When their barangay chairman found out about it, Lacson said he immediately got interested about the possibility of expanding it across their neighborhood, which then gave the Partido Reporma chief the idea of adding it to his overall campaign agenda for the benefit of small-scale farmers.
As far as Lacson is concerned, the government already has a similar program under the National Irrigation Administration (NIA). He was also told by senatorial candidate Emmanuel ‘Manny’ Piñol that the Department of Agriculture (DA) has been developing and implementing its own SPIS projects. Pinol is a former DA secretary.
“Maganda po ‘yun (That is a good alternative). Kasi kung hindi natin talaga kayang tugunan na magtayo ng mga dam para sa irigasyon, magandang substitute ‘yun, ‘yung solar power irrigation (Because if we really cannot afford to build dams for the irrigation of lands then this is the best substitute—solar-powered irrigation),’’ noted Lacson, who has always been supportive of renewable energy technologies.
Lacson expressed confidence he would be able to deliver on this commitment because he could rely on the support of his potential partners in the private sector like San Miguel Corporation (SMC) boss Ramon Ang who, according to him, was equally enthusiastic about the technology.
“Iba naman ‘yung kanyang (Ang) vision. Sabi niya, ang dami nating lakes, ang dami nating ilog... Pwede tayong kumuha ng tubig—ano lang ‘yan, technology lang ‘yan—na kung saan pwede nating gamitin sa irigasyon (He has a slightly different vision. He said we have a lot of lakes, we have so many rivers... We can source water from there—it’s just, you know, a matter of applying the right technology—so we can use it for irrigation),’’ he explained.
“So, kung talagang gusto, mag-iisip nang konti magiging creative, matutugunan ‘yung problema natin sa agrikultura (So, if we really are going to think about it and get more creative, we can solve our problems in agriculture). Hindi import tayo nang import. Pwede pa nga tayong mag-export (We should not be import-driven. Perhaps we can become more export-oriented),” Lacson added, hoping that his optimism about the modernization of agriculture would resonate among all farmers.