MANILA: About PHP776 million worth of excavators have been distributed to various irrigators’ associations nationwide by the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) to intensify local irrigation and agricultural systems.
In a news release Friday, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said the NIA procured 141 excavators under the first tranche of its three-year equipment re-fleeting program.
“Our irrigators’ associations will use these for the desilting of their canals, repair of their irrigation, so these could help in the improvement of our food security,’ DA-NIA Acting Administrator Eduardo Guillen said during the turnover ceremony in Subic Bay Freeport Zone in Olongapo City on Wednesday.
Aside from augmenting the country’s inventory of machines and resources, the program aims to undertake and intensify the regular operation and maintenance of national irrigation systems.
It also aims to immediately repair or construct irrigation facilities damaged by natural disasters.
With a total budget of PHP2.59 bi
llion, the equipment re-fleeting program is divided into three tranches.
More than PHP782 million was dedicated to the purchase of 138 excavators of various models, 28 dump trucks, and 17 truck tractors with trailer for the implementation of the second tranche.
Meanwhile, the third and final tranche will entail the procurement of various types of heavy equipment with a funding of more than PHP1.03 billion.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., who was present during the turnover ceremony, said effective irrigation systems could boost local agricultural production by 30 percent.
The 141 NIA-procured excavators will also improve the country’s 257 national irrigation systems and 10,144 communal irrigation systems, further increasing the productivity and profitability of local farmers nationwide.
Source: Philippines News Agency