VIGAN CITY, Ilocos Sur (PIA) — Three newly-installed solar-powered irrigation pumps from the National Irrigation Administration and the Department of Agrarian Reform benefit the farmers in the municipality of San Juan, Ilocos Sur.

The P12 million project funded by the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program – Irrigation Component (CARP-IC) and inaugurated on January 12 will benefit some 60 farmers of the Suncare Agrarian Reform Community.

Irrigators Association President Camilo S. Valle thanked the agencies that made it possible to build the Solar-Powered Pump Irrigation Projects (SPPIP).

“Nagado a tulong ti naited ti DAR ken NIA kaniami nga mannalon, kas kadagiti tractor ken elf,” he said. (The DAR and NIA have given us, farmers, a lot of assistance, such as the tractors and elfs.)

He also mentioned, “Isu a tatta alaek daytoy a gundaway, iti nagan ti kooperatiba ti Sunggiam ken a kas mangipangulo ti Irrigators Association, nga iyebkas ti panagyamanmi ti NIA, DAR ken ti Local Government Unit ti San Juan iti dakkel nga suportada kadagitoy mannalon ti Sunggiam.” (In behalf of the cooperative of Sunggiam and the Irrigators Association, I would like to take this chance to express our profound gratitude to DAR, NIA, and the LGU of San Juan for their massive support to the farmers of Sunggiam)

Valle further stated that the three SPPIPs will not only benefit the 60 farmers in the said barangay but also the other western barangays in the town.

Further, Geramy Gadong, the project in charge, shared that Mayor Ma. Elaine S. Sarmiento pledged five pipes for each of the SPPIPs from the LGU during the blessing of the pumps.

In behalf of the mayor, Vice Mayor Benjamin Sarmiento, Jr said in his speech at the inauguration ceremony, “Kami rin po ay isa sa mga magsasaka. Ang aking ama ay isa rin pong farmer. Patubig po ang isa sa mga pinakamahirap upang tayo po ay magkaroon ng mataas na produksyon.”

He explained that contrary to tradition that farmers rely on fuel-powered pumps, through the collective efforts of the agencies, they can now harness solar power, a sustainable energy source, to reduce the expenses of the farmers.