By SHERILYN UNTALAN, GMA Integrated News

While more provinces across the country reel from the effects of its scorching heat, the El Niño phenomenon has only affected 1% of vulnerable rice fields in the Philippines, the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) reported Wednesday.

NIA Administrator Eduardo Guillen reported the assessment during a public briefing, saying that the agency has been able to implement irrigation measures to mitigate, if not minimize, El Niño’s wrath.

“Sa tantiya naman po namin, nasa 1% lang po ang area na affected. Sa 20% na projected namin, around 1% lang ang sa total area sa service area ng NIA,” Guillen said.

(Based on our estimate, only 1% of the 20% vulnerable areas serviced by NIA are affected.)

Guillen’s statement came on the same day when the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported that El Niño’s damage to agriculture has already topped P1 billion.

State weather bureau PAGASA recently adjusted its projection of provinces affected by El Niño by end-February to 51 from 41.

The NIA chief said the agency applied the Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) technique of the Department of Agriculture (DA) to help rice farmers reduce water consumption in their irrigated fields.

“Sa kabuuan ay maraming nadagdagan na patubig sa vulnerable areas. Kasi ang tala po namin noon, aabot ng 20% ang anticipated na vulnerable sa El Niño. Pero dahil sa technique na AWD… minimal po kung tutuusin ang tinamaan sa irrigated areas,” he added.

(Overall, irrigation has increased in vulnerable areas. Based on our earlier data, we anticipated up to 20% to be vulnerable to El Niño. However, with the AWD technique… the affected irrigated areas are minimal.)

Guillen added that the AWD technique has helped NIA to save 20% to 30% of water.

The NIA will utilize its increased budget, Guillen said, to build facilities, install solar pump irrigation systems, and secure aid to farmers in partnership with other government agencies.

“Pinapakita lang po namin ay kahit na may El Niño, basta mayroon po tayong patubig, ay makakapagtanim po tayo ng palay,” he added.

(We are just showing that even if there is El Niño, as long as we have irrigation, rice can be planted.)

Last month, Guillen assured that rice would be sufficient for Filipinos amid the El Niño as NIA has been preparing for the extreme weather phenomenon which started in July last year.

Over P1B damage to agriculture

In its latest report, the NDRRMC said total production loss and cost of damage to agriculture was estimated at P1,056,379,891.

Western Visayas reported the highest cost of agricultural damage with P678,705,381, followed by Mimaropa with P319,755,957, Ilocos with P54,450,077, Calabarzon with 2,750,947, and Zamboanga with P717,527.

A total of 23,086 farmers and fisherfolk, as well as 17,718 hectares of crops, have been affected in the country due to El Niño.

Antong Irrigation System project

Meanwhile, Guillen said NIA’s recently launched P1-billion Antong Irrigation System project in Lutayan, Sultan Kudarat would benefit 1,000 farmers in the area.

“Sa tantiya namin, kukulang-kulang dalawang taon at magsisimula po this year, in two months time, magsisimula na ang construction,” Guillen said.

(We expect the project to be completed in two years. Construction will start in about two months this year.)

The NIA has been in constant communication and consultation with the local government units to fund their proposed projects, Guillen said. — VDV, GMA Integrated News

Published Date: March 6, 2024