WATER FOR PARCHED OCC. MINDORO FARMS
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has instructed the National Irrigation Administration to put up irrigation systems to cover several municipalities in Occidental Mindoro.
Marcos said the impact of El Niño phenomenon in the agriculture sector of the province has affected the livelihood of the farmers.
“Kaya’t nandito, kasama rin natin— hindi umakyat sa stage, nandiyan si— ang National Irrigation— ayan, si Eddie Guillen, taga amin po ito pero siya’y nailagay natin sa irrigation at marami po tayong plano,” Marcos said in his speech at the San Jose Municipal Gym.
“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,” Marcos added.
Marcos said the government will also provide the farmers solar-powered pumps to irrigate hard-to-reach upland areas.
The President stressed that even with complete provision of fertilizer, pesticides, farm equipment, and other inputs, optimum output can’t 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,” Marcos said.
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 P50 million to three IAs; and three communal irrigation projects worth P89.26 million to 3 IAs (one each IA).
