Marcos wants wider coverage of irrigation system in El Niño-hit Occidental Mindoro

More irrigations must be put up in several municipalities in Occidental Mindoro to boost agricultural production amid the impacts of El Niño, President Marcos said.

During his visit in the province on Tuesday, April 23, Marcos directed the  National Irrigation Administration (NIA) to put up irrigation systems to cover several municipalities in Occidental Mindoro, particularly the towns of San Jose and Magsaysay.

This as he acknowledged that the El Niño phenomenon has been affecting the livelihood of the farmers in the province.

“Mayroon po tayong pinaplano na dam na ilalagay para ma-koberan (cover) hanggang San Jose, Magsaysay, at mapatubigan na. Para naman kahit na mahina ang ulan ay mayroon pa tayong makukuhanan ng tubig (We are planning to build a dam to cover San Jose and Magsaysay. So that even when there is only light rains, we have a source of water for irrigation)," Marcos said in his speech as he led the distribution of government assistance in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro.

The President added that the government will also provide the farmers solar-powered pumps to irrigate hard-to-reach upland areas.

Marcos also stressed that even with complete provision of fertilizer, pesticides, farm equipment, and other inputs, optimum output cannot be achieved without sufficient water supply.

“Kaya’t yun ay babaguhin natin. Dahil alam naman po natin sa ating mga magsasaka, ang puno’t dulo, lalong-lalo na pagka palay ang pinag-uusapan, ang puno’t dulo nitong lahat ay patubig (That is what we are addressing. Because we know that the main concern of our farmers is irrigation),” he said.

Meanwhile, among the assistance extended by the Department of Agriculture (DA) during the President’s visit include P3,000 fuel subsidy to 393 farmers; P5,000 each to 1,153 affected farmers under the Rice Farmers Financial Assistance; P5.1 million to 193 farmers under the El Niño Indemnification Fund; and P77.5 million Survival and Recovery Aid loans.

The NIA, on the other hand, extended P7.38 million worth of operations and maintenance subsidy to two irrigators’ associations (IA) and Certificate of condonation and exemption worth PhP18.48 million to one association.

NIA also gave 24 units of solar pump irrigation projects worth PhP50 million to three IAs; and three communal irrigation projects worth PhP89.26 million to 3 IAs (one each IA).