Philippines Needs P160B Annually for Unirrigated Farmland Development

The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) estimates that approximately P160 billion annually over the next 10 years will be needed to develop the country's remaining potentially irrigable agricultural lands, estimated at about 1 million hectares. This figure excludes funds for the restoration, rehabilitation, and repair of existing irrigation systems. Isabela Rep. Joseph S. Tan, who sponsored the NIA's proposed 2027 budget, stated in Filipino during plenary deliberations that the total funding requirement for this development would amount to P1.6 trillion over a decade, translating to P160 billion per year. However, the NIA's proposed P46-billion budget for 2027 under the National Expenditure Program would only allow for the development of approximately 5,000 hectares of new irrigation areas, with the remainder allocated for existing system improvements. Dinagat Island Rep. Arlene “Kaka” J. Bag-ao questioned the feasibility of achieving full irrigation coverage given the limited annual expansion target. Data presented to lawmakers indicated that about 2.2 million hectares, or 70.25% of the country's agricultural land, is currently irrigated, leaving approximately 1.01 million hectares still in need of irrigation. Ms. Bag-ao also noted that irrigation coverage had increased by only about 1.13% annually over the past 15 years. She expressed concern about how the government could reach 100% irrigation coverage if only about 5,000 hectares are added annually. Mr. Tan acknowledged the need for additional funding to accelerate the conversion of potential agricultural lands into irrigable areas, emphasizing that this is a major issue for the country's agricultural development.