AGRI BOOST. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. leads the unveiling of the Sulvec Small Reservoir Irrigation Project marker on Friday (July 19, 2024) in Barangay Sapat, Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte. The earthfill dam construction started in 2014. (PNA photo by Leilanie Adriano)
PASUQUIN, Ilocos Norte – Over a thousand farmers and their families across 10 villages rejoiced on Friday as President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. led the inauguration of the PHP940 million Sulvec Small Reservoir Irrigation Project (SRIP) in Barangay Sapat this municipality.
The Sulvec SRIP features a 32-meter earthfill dam, aperture structures, a diversion dam with a 1.60-kilometer distance downstream of the main dam, a network of canals with concrete lining totaling 43.20 kilometers, and around 334 terminal facilities.
There is also a provision of a valve house for future hydropower development that can generate power ranging from 340 to 440 kilowatts.
National Irrigation Administration (NIA) Administrator engineer Eduardo Guillen said the project’s primary objective is to provide sustainable irrigation to the target villages.
Aside from increasing crop yields through improved water availability and irrigation efficiency, the project has also an aquaculture component to boost farmers' livelihood.
The scenic landscape can also be later developed as a tourist spot just like the Madongan River diversion dam in Dingras, Ilocos Norte, which has become a famous tourist attraction in the province during the dry spell.
Inspired by the Build Better More slogan of the Marcos administration, Guillen said the Sulvec SRIP forms part of the 10-year accelerated development program of the NIA, which the agency plans to replicate in other parts of the country.
“The Build Better More is not just a slogan. It means that a single (high dam) project such as this should be multi-purpose,” he said referring to the Pasuquin project that was designed for flood control, irrigation, hydropower, aquaculture, and many other uses to maximize returns to the government.
In his speech, President Marcos cited the potential development of the area as another tourist spot in the province and a source of renewable energy, including aquaculture.
“The implementation of this may have been long and laborious but knowing how many communities will benefit and how much impact it will make on their day work, it is impossible not to be excited and happy,” he said, as he lauded the engineers, architects, and construction workers who ensured the integrity, operation and maintenance of the project.
As one of the flagship programs of his administration, Marcos expressed optimism that more of this kind will be replicated in various parts of the country to benefit more people.
During the dry season, farmers here could hardly sustain the growth of their crops due to water scarcity.
“We are dependent on rainwater so we can only plant during the main cropping season,” said Norman Bulusan, president of the Sulvec SRIP Federated Irrigators Association in a media interview on Friday.
As they witnessed the ceremonial unveiling of the Sulvec SRIP marker and the release of 25,000 stock of freshwater fingerlings composed of silver perch (ayungin), carp, and freshwater prawns species on the same day, the four irrigators associations that will directly benefit from the project under the Build Better More project of the Marcos administration expressed hopes that soon, they will be able to experience three cropping calendars in a year to boost their income.
“Our dreams turned into reality with the help of our government. Through the initiative of the National Irrigation Administration, we can now sleep better at night knowing we have reliable irrigation water to improve our farm productivity,” Bulusan said.
Melvin Manzano, president of the PANIBO Irrigators Association, said he is thankful to the President for fulfilling his promise to help alleviate poverty among farmers.
"On behalf of the irrigator’s association, we are thankful, especially to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for this wonderful project. We will never forget for the rest of our lives,” he said in Ilokano. (PNA)
