House leader urges gov't to draft National Water Use Plan for food security

The administration of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. should come up with a National Water Use Plan to ensure the country's food security, House Deputy Majority Leader David Suarez of Quezon said Friday.

Suarez said that based on the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) records, around 36% of the country's 3,128,631 irrigable areas do not have a well-functioning irrigation system.

"Kailangan muna nating resolbahin ang ugat ng problemang ito. Dito papasok ang pagkakaroon ng isang National Water Use Plan na siyang sagot sa kakulangan ng tubig sa ating mga palayan," Suarez, vice chairman of the House agriculture panel, said.

"The government must come up with a comprehensive program on the proper and cost-effective use of water systems to address the perennial problem of water shortage for farmlands and subsequently, ensure a more efficient national food security program," Suarez added.

In addition, Suarez said the National Water Use Plan would optimize the use of the country's natural resources, as well as complement the National Farm-to-Market Road (FMR) masterplan which the President had asked agriculture officials and experts to draft.

Marcos concurrently sits as the Agriculture Secretary.

The proposed 2023 budget for the Agriculture Department was P163 billion, a P46 billion increase compared with its 2022 allocation. — DVM, GMA News