PBBM orders DA, NIA to complete all water-related projects by April 2024

Transcript

00:00 To prep the nation and give it a fighting chance against the ravages of a looming El

00:04 Nino weather scourge, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. has set a goal and timeline

00:10 so the Department of Agriculture and National Irrigation Administration have been put to

00:15 task to finish all irrigation projects under construction and repair nationwide before

00:21 the month of May next year, as our Mark Fetalco reports.

00:27 To prepare for the widespread impact of El Nino in the coming year, President Ferdinand

00:32 R. Marcos, Jr. ordered the Agriculture Department and National Irrigation Administration to

00:37 complete all water-related projects by April 2024.

00:40 "We have four months to finish all of this, to make it operational.

00:47 Because the deadline I made for our departments, I promised them, we will think about what

00:55 we can do by April of next year.

01:00 So that when May comes, the drought is still there and it's not raining yet, we have

01:09 enough water supplies."

01:11 The President emphasized this directive to concerned agencies during the inauguration

01:16 of the Balbalungao Small Reservoir Irrigation Project in Lupau, Nueva Ecija.

01:20 According to the President, the project will help mitigate the effects of El Nino.

01:24 "I wish to emphasize that this project will also help address the effects of El Nino.

01:31 We must be prepared to counter its effects which may last until the second quarter of

01:36 2024."

01:38 The President said the irrigation project is part of the continued efforts of the government

01:43 to boost rice productivity in Nueva Ecija, which has now become the rice bowl of the

01:47 Philippines.

01:48 He added the multipurpose dam would provide irrigation for nearly a thousand hectares

01:53 of agricultural land.

01:54 Over 500 farmers and their families from five barangays in Lupau are expected to benefit

01:59 from abundant harvests and higher income.

02:01 "We will get water sources from the rivers and the streams to irrigate our vegetables

02:12 and rice that we harvest here in the barangays of the city of Lupau.

02:20 This is a very important project.

02:23 We are very thankful to the President for this inauguration.

02:28 We will be able to supply the rice we have been asking for for a long time, which will

02:33 produce good rice twice a year."

02:35 Farmers' expenses are also reduced, especially with free access to water.

02:39 "Diesel is very expensive.

02:40 Some people don't harvest during the summer because they will spend more on diesel."

02:50 Meanwhile the President said there is a plan to restructure the existing task force El

02:54 Nino, which is tasked in mitigating the effects of El Nino.

02:57 "This is, I think, a more serious and a more extensive effort because we really have

03:04 to get everybody involved to be able to prepare to make sure that we can minimize, alleviate

03:11 and adapt to climate change."

03:14 Amid the threat of El Nino, the President assured government readiness to provide assistance

03:19 lead by those affected.

03:21 Mark Fetalco for The Nation.