President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. expressed the government’s commitment to build and rehabilitate more dams and farm-to-market roads to boost agricultural production and ensure food security.
“Patuloy tayong nagbubukas at nagkukumpuni ng mga irigasyon sa buong Pilipinas. Ngayong taon, bibigyan natin ng patubig ang halos apatnapu’t limang libong ektarya ng bagong lupain,” President Marcos said in his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) at the Batasang Pambansa on Monday.
“Bubuhayin din nating muli ang irigasyon sa halos tatlumpu’t walong libong ektarya ng lupain sa buong bansa,” the President added.
“Isa sa mga natapos na proyekto ay ang stage two ng Malitubog-Maridagao Irrigation Project. Halos sampung libong ektarya ng lupain sa North Cotabato at sa Maguindanao del Sur ang maseserbisyuhan ng irigasyon na ito,” he said.
The government is also focusing on constructing solar-powered irrigation facilities throughout the country, such as the newly launched Cabaruan Solar-Powered Pump Irrigation Project in Quirino, Isabela, the largest in the Philippines.
The President also mentioned the Jalaur River Multipurpose Project in Iloilo, which could irrigate 32,000 hectares of land.
“Patutunayan ng proyekto sa Jalaur River ang pinalalawig na potensyal ng irigasyon. Hindi na lamang patubig sa sakahan ang kaya nitong gawin. Ito na rin ay magagamit sa pagkontrol ng baha, paglikha ng kuryente, at pati na rin para sa turismo,” he said.
“Moving forward, irrigation dams will supplement all our other bulk water projects to ensure water security for our people, especially in the underserved areas,” the President explained.
He said the government is also concentrating on building more farm-to-market roads as well as providing farmers with machinery to help boost their output.
According to the President, 120,000 kilometers of farm-to-market roads will be completed in the entire country this year. More than 930,000 machines and facilities were handed over and built this year, he added.
And to protect farmers from the impact of disasters and bad weather, the government has arranged for the provision of crop insurance.
“Sa nakalipas na dalawang taon, mahigit siyam na [bilyong] pisong halaga ang naging bayad-pinsala para sa mga apektadong magsasaka at mangingisda,” President Marcos said. PND