Acting Gov. Fernando distributes water pumps to Bulakenyo farmers
CITY OF MALOLOS – Bulacan Acting Governor Daniel R. Fernando led the distribution of diesel engine water pumps to five barangays in the City of Malolos held in front of the Bulacan Pasalubong Center here, Thursday afternoon.
Distressed members of the Barangay Farmers and Fisheries Council of Malolos went to Fernando’s office last Monday to ask for assistance to help them save what remains of their crops and the government responded swiftly.
According to Fernando, despite the early announcement of the National Irrigation Administration Region III that irrigation will be cut on October 31, 2018 due to an ongoing project that will benefit 90 percent of Bulakenyo farmers and some areas in Pampanga, still there were farmers who pushed through planting rice crops but are still on its reproduction or fruiting stage.
According to Melencio Santos, farmer representative of Barangay Santor, the acting governor immediately called for a meeting with them and NIA III and the Department of Agriculture Regional Office on Tuesday to discuss the arising problem.
“Nung lumapit kami nung Lunes, Martes nag-meeting na kami kasama ang NIA, mabilis naman ang naging tugon, ngayon binigyan na kami ng mga water pump. Ang binigyan lang yung may mga pagkukunan ng tubig, yung may mga sapa at shallow tube wells, Ngayon kahit paano, pwede na kaming maghiraman ng mga kabarangay ko para maisalba yung mga pananim namin,” Santos said.
Alberto Santos from Matimbo expressed his gratitude for the speedy response of the government to their pleas.
“Ito ay biyaya dahil talagang mamamatay ang mga pananim namin, kaya kami’y nagpapasalamat,” Santos shared.
Meanwhile, Fernando is hoping that the said pumps will be enough for now and that for next year, the farmers and NIA will be well coordinated when it comes to irrigation system.
He also shared other projects during the meeting of Municipal Agriculture Officers of Bulacan.
“Yung pinaglaban namin ni Gob. Alvarado na Bulacan Bulk Water Project, sinisimulan na po, para magamit natin yung sariling atin na malinis. Medyo traffic lang po talaga pero tayo din naman ang makikinabang dyan. Mayroon din tayong hinihiling sa pangulo na water reservoir sa Candaba, Pampanga para yung nakakawalang tubig sa Angat Dam, masalo non, sana ibigay,” Fernando said.