A prolonged lack of irrigation water is forcing many farmers in Mangaldan to stop planting or shift to less water-dependent crops as the dry season intensifies.

Early morning on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, farmer Dong Cerezo was already tending to his pechay plants in Barangay Lanas, crops he turned to after giving up rice farming due to rising costs and drying irrigation canals.

“Matagal nang walang tubig sa irigasyon. Dahil tag-init na, tinigil na nila siguro,” Cerezo said.

Many farmers in Mangaldan have paused planting altogether, while others are searching for alternative water sources to sustain their crops. Some, like Cerezo, have resorted to using shallow tube wells and water pumps, which require additional spending on fuel.

Local authorities said they are coordinating with the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) to address the situation. A system management committee meeting is also being planned to align farmers with the cropping calendar for the upcoming rainy season.

“Magkakaroon din naman ng system management committee meeting ng NIA and LGU, mga farmers na aabisuhan para sa programang cropping calendar ngayong tag-ulan,”Manuel Aquino, an agricultural technologist from the Municipal Agriculture Office, said.

Irrigation officials, however, cautioned against releasing water too early, noting it could disrupt planting schedules.

“Hindi pa ideal na buksan natin ang patubig ngayon kasi masisira ’yung ating cropping calendar. Ang target po natin is middle of June or last week of June na mag-start ’yung ating patubig,” Juanito Español, president of the Agno Sinocalan River Irrigation System Federation of Irrigators Association, said.

Beyond water shortages, farmers are also grappling with rising production costs. Agricultural groups are urging the government to release fertilizer subsidies as soon as possible, warning that many farmers are now hesitant to plant rice.

“Yung ilalabas na P2,300 is maliit… yung pagpunla up to pagta-transplant, gagastos ka ng almost P30,000 compare dati na gumagastos lang ng P17,000,” Engr. Rosendo So, chairperson of SINAG, said.

Farmers are hoping the subsidy will be distributed within the first two weeks of May 2026, as concerns grow that the challenges could extend into the upcoming wet cropping season.