By Manny Balbin/PNA
CITY OF MALOLOS, Bulacan — The provincial government of Bulacan has provided diesel engine water pumps to farmers whose crops were affected by the cut-off of irrigation water supply here.
Acting Governor Daniel Fernando led the distribution of the diesel engine water pumps to farmers in the city’s five barangays held in front of the Bulacan Pasalubong Center here on Thursday.
The recipients were farmers from the villages of Matimbo, Sumapang Matanda, Taal, Mambog and Santor.
Fernando said that members of the Barangay Farmers and Fisheries Council of Malolos went to his office last Monday asking for assistance to help them save what remains of their crops.
“There are some farmers who pushed through in planting palay crops that are now on its reproduction or fruiting stages, despite the early announcement of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) Region III that the irrigation water supply will be cut off on October 31, 2018 due to an ongoing project,” he said.
The NIA’s ongoing project, Fernando said, will benefit 90 percent of farmers in Bulacan and some areas in Pampanga.
Melencio Santos, farmer representative of Barangay Santor, said the acting governor immediately called for a meeting with them and officials of NIA Region III and the Department of Agriculture (DA) regional office on Tuesday to discuss their concern.
“Mabilis naman ang naging tugon, ngayon binigyan na kami ng mga water pump. Ang binigyan lang yung may mga pagkukunan ng tubig, yung may mga sapa at shallow tube wells, Ngayon kahit paano, pwede na kaming maghiraman ng mga kabarangay ko para maisalba yung mga pananim naming (The response was quick, now we have water pumps. Only those who have water sources, like rivers and shallow tube wells, were given. But at least, somehow, we and our villagemates can share together the water pumps to save our crops,” he said.
Alberto Santos from Barangay Matimbo expressed his gratitude to the provincial government for the speedy response to their pleas.
“Ito ay biyaya dahil talagang mamamatay ang mga pananim namin, kaya kami’y nagpapasalamat (It is a blessing because our crops would really die. That’s why we are thankful),” he said.
