Marcos vows to ensure sustainability of PH irrigation system

President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. on Wednesday led the distribution of the National Irrigation Administration's (NIA) maintenance equipment to regional offices.

''Today, we witness the turnover of the second tranche of the operations and maintenance equipment under the National Irrigation Administration's Three-Year Re-Fleeting Program,'' Marcos said during the turnover ceremony in Mexico City, Pampanga. 

''This goes beyond just the provisions of new [machineries]; it also empowers our NIA regional offices, the irrigators’ associations, [and] our farmers to ensure the sustainability of our irrigation systems to avoid losses and to promote more efficient use of water resources that will in turn, produce better and more crops,'' he added. 

According to the President, a total of 148 units of heavy equipment such as excavators, dump trucks, and truck-tractors with trailers will be provided to various NIA regional offices around the country.

In December 2023, Marcos said the national government distributed 141 units of excavators amounting to around P776 million pesos. 

''These equipment are now being used for the rehabilitation, preventive maintenance, and repair of irrigation facilities,'' Marcos said.

''In areas where dam construction is not feasible or where there is a need to pump water to irrigate farmlands, the NIA has provided renewable energy-driven irrigation systems,'' he added. 

Marcos made a commitment that his administration would not halt in finding solutions to address the challenges being met by local farmers. 

''We remain steadfast in our efforts to employ sustainable technologies to meet our irrigation needs,'' Marcos said. --VAL, GMA Integrated News