MANILA -- The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) said it has not yet monitored any problem with the country’s irrigation water supply, even as the Philippines has started to experience warmer temperatures.

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“Sa katunayan meron pa tayong double dry cropping ngayon, kaya namin magpatubig ng minimum 350,000 hectares para sa double dry natin. Ibig sabihin, simula noong Marso, ay magtatanim ulit ang ating mga magsasaka,” National Irrigation Administration Administrator Engr Eduardo Guillen said in a televised briefing.

Meanwhile, the NIA welcomed the decision of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board to approve the P13.948-B Tumauini River Multipurpose Project in Isabela and the P18.182-B Tarlac Balog-Balog Multipurpose Project Phase II extension. 

Guillen said the projects will not only help in irrigating bigger areas of land, but would also contribute to power generation. 

“Malaki po ito, yung Balog-Balog nalang matagal nang problema yan. Ang total area na mairrigate dyan kapag matapos natin ay nasa 34,000 hectares, at itong Tumauini naman ay sa 8,000 mahigit na hectares,” he said. 

“Bukod doon ay meron pang power generation ang mga ito. Itong Balog-Balog meron syang 42 megawatts sya na power, at itong Tumauini ay around 7-8 megawatts naman," he noted.

Prior to this, the NEDA had approved the implementation of the P30 billion Ilocos Norte-Ilocos Sur-Abra Irrigation Project. 

According to the government the project, once completed, “will irrigate 14,672 hectares (wet season) and 13,256 ha. (dry season) of agricultural lands with the Palsiguan River as the main source of irrigation water.” A total 32,604 families are expected to benefit from the project.

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