The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) has announced that it requires a minimum annual budget of P200 billion to fund its irrigation projects, which are crucial for ensuring food security in the Philippines.
NIA Administrator Eddie Guillen stated that the proposed budget would support a range of short- to long-term projects, including the construction of dams, restoration initiatives, solar pump irrigation systems, and water impounding projects.
The NIA has already submitted a P200 billion budget proposal to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) for the upcoming year. However, the DBM has approved only P42 billion due to budget constraints.
Guillen expressed hope that both houses of Congress would help secure a larger allocation for the NIA during the budget deliberations for the proposed P6.352 trillion national expenditure plan.
The DBM plans to present the proposed budget to Congress one week after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s third State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 22.
For 2024, the General Appropriations Act has allocated P70.22 billion to the NIA.
In related developments, four large dam projects with reservoir storage capacities greater than 60 million cubic meters or heights exceeding 75 meters are currently up for bid. These projects include:
- The P8.6 billion Tumauini River Multipurpose Project (TRMP) will be in Isabela province.
- The P19 billion Panay River Basin Integrated Development Project (PRBIDP) in Iloilo, features two Panay High Dams, the Panay Afterbay Dam, a high line canal, and a floodway component.
