Irrigation program
A MOVE to increase agricultural production brings to mind President Marcos’ efforts to help the country’s farmers when he was still a member of the Philippine Senate.
Even at that time, Marcos knew that there was a need to conduct a massive irrigation of agricultural lands to protect farmlands against the effects of climate change.
That’s why in 2013, then Senator Marcos filed a bill in the Senate mandating the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) to formulate a national irrigation program.
At that time, the only son and namesake of the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos wanted NIA to provide water to 95 percent of irrigable lands throughout the country.
In filing Senate Bill 14, Marcos said NIA should provide technical and financial assistance to local government units, coops and farners groups with respect to irrigation systems.
Actually, irrigation raises land productivity by providing sufficient water to crops to increase yield and ensure the stability of production even under extreme weather conditions.
In fact, irrigation development has the potential to be an effective investment strategy for countries with limited land areas, like impoverished Philippines.
And we are heartened to know that the former senator from Ilocos Norte has not shown any sign of backing off from his commitment to improve the country’s farming sector.
In the view of his millions of admirers and supporters, “lalo pang tumindi ang pagnanais ni BBM na i-develop ang agrikultura nang maupo siyang Pangulo ng Pilipinas.”
Indeed, there’s a need to modernize Philippine agriculture if we are to attain food self-sufficiency.
Talaga!
