President Marcos assured the country's farmers that they would not be left behind in the government's plans to modernize the agricultural sector, renewing his commitment to supporting them in improving their livelihood.

Marcos said this as he led the turnover of 148 newly procured heavy equipment to the National Irrigation Administration's (NIA) regional offices in Mexico City, Pampanga on Wednesday, Aug. 7.

In his speech, the President assured the farmers that the government is one with them in fulfilling their dreams by addressing issues that hinder them from earning more.

"Kailanman hindi po namin kayo pababayaan. Habang pinauunlad at ginagawa nating moderno ang sektor ng agrikultura, hindi natin kinakalimutan at iiwanan ang bawat magsasakang Pilipino (We will never forsake you. As we strive to modernize the agriculture sector, we have not forgotten you and we will not leave any of our Filipino farmers behind)," he said.

"Patuloy po tayong naghahanap ng mga solusyon upang mapabuti ang gawaing pagsasaka at mapataas ang inyong ani at ang inyong kita (We are continuously looking for solutions to improve your farming activities and increase your crops and your income)," he added.

According to Marcos, Wednesday's turnover of machinery was a realization of the government's commitment to uplifting the lives of farmers and attaining food security. A total of P782.132 million, the acquisition of new excavators, trailer trucks, and dumpers falls under the second tranche of NIA's three-year Re-fleeting Program.

In return, the President asked the farmers to continue their hard work.

"Sana po ay patuloy po kayong magpupursigi upang paunlarin ang inyong mga sakahan, at nang sa gayon ay magbunga ng masaganang ani ang inyong mga pagsisikap (I hope you remain dedicated to improving your farms so your hard work will bear fruit)," he said.

In his speech, President Marcos said the program ensures the sustainability of the country's irrigation systems to avoid losses and promote a more efficient use of water resources that will, in turn, produce better and more crops.

"This investment in our irrigation infrastructure attests to our unwavering commitment to supporting the backbone of our economy— the agricultural sector," he said.

"Through our Re-fleeting Program, we can instantly repair and build more irrigation facilities that were damaged by national calamities, [and] stand strong against the challenges of shifting climate change," he added.

The NIA's Re-fleeting Program aims to fast-track irrigation development in the country. The distributed heavy equipment will be used to operate and maintain irrigation systems, particularly in canal desilting operations in preparation for the wet crop season.

Currently, the NIA has 257 National Irrigation Systems (NISs) and 8,802 Communal Irrigation Systems (CISs).