By Leilanie Adriano
LAOAG CITY – The provincial government of Ilocos Norte has provided agricultural supplies amounting to over PHP15.1 million to assist farmers in mitigating the effects of El Niño.
Governor Matthew Joseph Manotoc confirmed this on Friday, reporting that approximately 140 units of water pumps and 37 rolls of irrigation hose have been distributed to 140 farmers associations across several towns and cities including Bacarra, Pasuquin, Vintar, Nueva Era, Pinili, Badoc, Dingras, Currimao, San Nicolas, Solsona, Batac, and Laoag 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 villages 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 in Barangay Espiritu, 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, 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. (PNA)
