Piñol vows free irrigation fees for farmers

Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Pinol. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / NINO JESUS ORBETA

Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Emmanuel “Manny” Piñol on Thursday said it’s time irrigation fees are removed from the expenses of farmers seeking irrigation aid from government.

During the House of Representatives budget hearing of the proposed P50.6 billion budget of the DA and its attached agencies for 2017, Piñol said the agency would seek free irrigation costs for farmers in compliance with President Rodrigo Duterte’s promise to alleviate farmers’ plight.

READ: Rody tells DA to give farmers free irrigation

“The farmers can’t plant if they can’t pay irrigation fees… The President believes it’s an injustice being perpetuated on the Filipino rice farmers,” Piñol said.

Piñol also vowed that the DA would provide solar powered irrigation to provide water to rice farms for additional income opportunities in the area.

According to the National Expenditure Program, the proposed 2017 budget of the National Irrigation Authority is P36.36 million, up 11 percent from the current budget of P32.743 million.

READ: Free irrigation plan starts rolling at DA

Meanwhile, the DA has a proposed budget of P50.6 billion for 2017, down from the current budget of P53.97 billion. JE