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Magsasaka Party-list leader Robert Nazal has underscored the need for proactive measures to optimize water utilization, especially in light of the impending rainy season and the potential impacts of La Niña.

As such, Nazal called on the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to prioritize the establishment of water impounding areas connected to existing flood control structures to bolster water management efforts across the country.

"Irrigation is the lifeblood of our nation's farmers. We urge the DPWH to prioritize the creation of water impounding areas connected to existing flood structures,” he said in a statement Wednesday, May 1.

“These areas can serve as essential resources for irrigation, ensuring that our farmers have access to water even during the driest periods," he noted.

The Magsasaka Party-list leader made this pitch even as a lot of areas in the country continued to grapple with drought caused by El Niño.

While acknowledging the efforts of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), Nazal emphasized the need for integration with the DPWH to maximize effectiveness.

"The current NIA administration is already taking steps towards sustainable water management, but it's imperative for the DPWH to collaborate and integrate these efforts into their infrastructure plans," Nazal said.

Highlighting the limitations of the current approach of DPWH flood control structures, Nazal emphasized the urgent need for a paradigm shift towards holistic water management strategies.

"DPWH flood control structures are currently designed to simply redirect water flow, but we need to reorient our approach to include water conservation and storage as key priorities," he pointed out.

Earlier, Nazal lamented the prevailing disparities in budgetary allotments, and emphasized the imperative for heightened investment in irrigation systems to bolster agricultural output.