Drought aid to Ilocos Norte farmers reaches over P15.1-M

SMART CROP. Drought-resistant crops at a seedling nursery at Brgy. Tabug, in the City of Batac. To aid farmers, the Ilocos Norte government has released over PHP15.1 million worth of irrigation assistance to mitigate the effects of El Niño, according to data released on March 15, 2024.(Lei Adriano)

By Leilanie Adriano

LAOAG CITY—Farmers in Ilocos Norte have received agricultural supplies worth over PHP15.1 million from the provincial government to mitigate the effects of El Niño.

Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Joseph M. Manotoc confirmed this on March 15, 2024 after he reported that at least 140 units of water pumps and some 37 rolls of irrigation hose have been distributed to 140 farmers associations in the towns of Bacarra, Pasuquin, Vintar, Nueva Era, Pinili, Badoc, Dingras, Currimao, San Nicolas, and Solsona, Batac and this city.

Fuel subsidy vouchers worth PHP3,000 each were also given as irrigation support to 766 recipients in the towns of Piddig, Vintar, Currimao, Burgos, Bangui, and Pagudpud.

The construction of 71 small farm reservoirs in Batac and the towns of Pinili and San Nicolas are likewise complete, ensuring sufficient water supply to a service area of 104 hectares.

To sustain the growth of established vegetable gardens in schools and barangays in different towns and cities of Ilocos Norte, a total of 285 units of water harvesting facilities were turned over for the benefit of 1,425 farmers and livestock raisers.

In time for the peak dry months, around a hundred farming households at Brgy. Espiritu in Dingras can look forward to a stable source of irrigation and potable water supply with the newly constructed spring development worth PHP500,000.

On Jan. 19, 2024, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. signed Executive Order (EO) No. 53 to streamline, reactivate, and reconstitute the old El Niño task forces under EO No. 16 (s. 2001) and Memorandum Order No. 38 (s. 2019).

The task force is in charge of a comprehensive disaster preparedness and rehabilitation plan for El Niño and La Niña to provide “systematic, holistic, and results-driven interventions” to help the public cope and minimize devastating effects.

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