By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
In a virtual briefing on Tuesday, National Irrigation Administration (NIA) Administrator Eddie Guillen reassured the masses that farmers who were affected by the onslaught of Tropical Storm Crising (international name: Wipha) and southwest monsoon (habagat).
Guillen said, “Ang masasabi ko lang po dito sa ating mga bagong bayaning magsasaka ay nakahanda po lagi ang NIA na tumulong po sa inyo lalo na po kapag ganitong may mga calamities.”
He added, echoing President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive of prioritizing farmers’ welfare, “Yung bilin po ng ating Pangulo ay talagang tutukan po ang pangangailangan ng ating mga magsasaka. So, kami pong lahat ay nagtutulong-tulong para po mas maganda ang serbisyong darating po sa inyo.”
Earlier, the Department of Agriculture (D.A.) said that it is working on expediting its assistance to farmers and fisherfolk, noting the long-term effects and significant losses incurred by farmers and fisherfolk due to the storm and monsoon rains.
Guillen said the NIA is in close coordination with the D.A. to provide essential farming inputs, such as seeds and high-value crops, to the affected farmers.
The NIA chief also reiterated his gratitude to President Marcos Jr. for the equipment and machinery that were turned over as part of the agency’s re-fleeting program on June 2, citing its timeliness and usefulness in providing support to paddy field workers reeling from the impact of bad weather on their livelihood.
AI as a vital tool in weather forecasting
At the same briefing, Guillen also noted the agency’s use of artificial intelligence (AI) in predicting rainfall levels to minimize the impact of dam water releases on low-lying communities.
This, as NIA adheres to a protocol for releasing water from major dams, notably Angat and Ipo. with the agency issuing a public advisory two to three hours before releasing water.
Guillen said, noting that water releases are vital in maintaining the structural integrity of dams, “Mayroon kasing ginagamit ang NIA ngayon na itong ating advanced weather forecasting system na may AI technology. Two weeks nape-predict na po namin kung magre-release kami ng tubig o hindi dito sa ating malalaking dam dito sa Magat and Pantabangan.”
He furthermore said that in releasing water, NIA follows a standard operating procedure that includes coordinating with local government units (LGUs) and issuing advisories through social media, its primary platform for informing residents in low-lying areas of an impending release.
The NIA Administrator noted that for major dams such as Pantabangan, Magat, and Jalaur, advisories on water releases are issued well in advance—typically four days to one week ahead.
He concluded, “May radio station na po ang NIA under ng Presidential Broadcast Service (PBS), so mas maganda na po iyong ating warning forecast, warning system ngayon.”
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