By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos | Philippine News Agency
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Friday expressed optimism that the Lower Agno River Irrigation System (LARIS) Paitan Dam Project in Santa Maria, Pangasinan would boost agricultural productivity and strengthen farmers’ resilience to climate-related risks.
Marcos lamented that the entire Ilocos Region was severely affected by last year’s El Niño phenomenon, experiencing an agricultural crisis due to the lack of water supply.
During the groundbreaking ceremony of the LARIS Paitan Dam, he said the major irrigation project by the regional office of the National Irrigation Administration is designed to harness water resources of the Agno River, one of the country’s largest river systems.
He said the project would cover areas in the towns of Santa Maria, Rosales, Santo Tomas, Alcala, Bautista, and Bayambang in Pangasinan; San Miguel and Moncada in Tarlac; and Cuyapo in Nueva Ecija.
“Ngayon, nandito tayo para simulan ang solusyon. Meron po tayong ginagawa at meron po tayong magagawa. Imbis na bumaha tuwing tag-ulan, ang gagawin natin ay iipunin natin ang tubig para mapakinabangan sa panahon ng tagtuyot. At iyan po ang gagawin ng Paitan Dam,” Marcos said.
“Walang patid na irigasyon para sa ating mga magsasaka. Mas malaking kita, mas malaking ginhawa para sa ating mga magsasaka. Hinihiling ko sana na matapos na ito sa 2027 o mas maaga pa kung maaari para naman maramdaman kaagad ng mga kababayan natin ang benepisyo ng LARIS Paitan Dam.”
Expected to be completed by December 2027, the dam will irrigate 12,041 hectares of agricultural land and 11,942 farmers would benefit from 56 irrigators’ associations.
Marcos said the Paitan Dam would also play a key role in increasing the rice harvest and production from nine tons per hectare to an average of 4.2 tons per hectare.
“Kaya naman para po sa ating mga magsasaka, makakaasa kayo na nandito ang inyong pamahalaan na handang umagapay sa inyo. Hiling ko lang po, patuloy tayong magtulungan. Kapit-bisig nating palakasin ang sektor ng agrikultura at tiyakin na may pagkain sa hapag ng bawat Pilipino.”
During the event, the President also led the turnover of farm machinery and equipment, farm inputs, and certificates for solar-powered irrigation pumps.
Marcos said the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) rolled out a wide range of interventions for nearly 6,000 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) under the Climate Resilient Farm Productivity Support Project.
The support package distributed to ARBs includes organic plant supplements and 10 four-wheel drive tractors with implements and multi-role power stations.
The solar-powered systems, on the other hand, offer a clean, efficient, and low-maintenance solution for off-grid farming areas.
