THE National Irrigation Administration (NIA) said it may need about P160 billion annually over the next 10 years to develop potentially irrigable agricultural lands remaining in the country.
Isabela Rep. Joseph S. Tan, sponsor of NIA’s proposed 2027 budget, said the amount would be needed to develop about 1 million hectares of remaining land, excluding funds for the restoration, rehabilitation and repair of existing irrigation systems.
“It appears to be P1.6 trillion, and if we divide that over 10 years, the funding we need is 160 billion pesos per year just for irrigation development,” Mr. Tan said in Filipino during Tuesday’s plenary deliberations of the 2027 budget.
NIA’s proposed P46-billion budget under the 2027 National Expenditure Program would, however, allow only about 5,000 hectares of new irrigation areas to be developed, with the rest of the allocation intended for restoration, improvements and rehabilitation, he said.
Dinagat Island Rep. Arlene “Kaka” J. Bag-ao questioned how the government could achieve full irrigation coverage given the limited annual expansion target.
Based on data provided to lawmakers, Ms. Bag-ao said about 2.2 million hectares, or 70.25% of the country’s agricultural land were covered by irrigation, leaving about 1.01 million hectares still awaiting irrigation.
She noted that irrigation coverage had increased by only about 1.13% annually over the past 15 years.
“How can we reach 100% irrigation coverage if we are only adding 5,000 hectares this 2027, more or less?” Ms. Bag-ao asked in Filipino.
Mr. Tan said NIA would need additional funding to accelerate the development of potential agricultural land into irrigable areas.
“That is why it is really a major issue how we can strengthen our conversion of potential agricultural lands to become irrigable, and alongside this is the hope that funding will be increased,” he said in Filipino. — Pexcel John Bacon