04/10/2026
𝐏𝐁𝐁𝐌 𝐚𝐝𝐦𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐫-𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐬 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐜𝐲
The Marcos administration is pushing for the nationwide expansion of solar-powered irrigation as part of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s drive to lower farming costs, strengthen food security, and modernize the country’s irrigation system, Acting Executive Secretary Ralph G. Recto said.
Recto said the Solar-Powered Pump Irrigation Program (SPIP), administered by the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), is targeted for expansion to 10,000 sites nationwide by 2030.
NIA currently operates 4,036 SPIP sites across 43 provinces in all 17 regions, including 2,147 sites in Luzon, 1,102 in the Visayas and 787 in Mindanao.
“Ang bilin ni Pangulong Bongbong ay tiyaking may maaasahang patubig ang mga magsasaka nang hindi nauubos ang kanilang kita sa gastos sa patubig. Habang tumitindi ang epekto ng pagbabago ng panahon, magtatayo tayo ng mga sistemang maaasahan sa tagtuyot, matibay sa panahon ng sakuna, at tunay na nagpapalakas sa kabuhayan ng ating mga magsasaka,” Recto said.
Under NIA’s Vision 2030 roadmap, the government aims to expand the network to 10,000 sites, benefit two million farmers, irrigate an additional 100,000 hectares of agricultural land and move toward net-zero energy use in irrigation.
Solar-powered irrigation systems use renewable energy to operate water pumps, reducing farmers’ dependence on diesel and insulating them from fluctuations in fuel prices. Compared with diesel-powered pumps, the systems also require significantly lower operating and maintenance expenses.
“This is a long-term investment in food security. Every peso farmers save on diesel can instead be used for seeds, fertilizer, equipment and other needs that directly improve their productivity and income,” Recto said.
Beyond expanding solar-powered facilities, NIA is also moving toward smarter irrigation through an artificial intelligence-based monitoring system that will use real-time data to track water availability, soil conditions and irrigation requirements.
The goal is to allow irrigation systems to deliver water more efficiently, minimize wastage and respond more quickly to changing farm and weather conditions.
NIA data show that existing solar-powered irrigation systems have maintained high operational availability and can provide six to eight hours of irrigation daily.
The benefits are already being demonstrated in farming communities.
In Bacarra, Ilocos Norte, 12 solar-powered irrigation units serving 340 hectares significantly reduced annual irrigation expenses and helped farmers sustain as many as three cropping cycles a year.
In Bukidnon, AI-assisted irrigation scheduling has also demonstrated the potential to increase rice production through the use of satellite data and soil-moisture monitoring to determine when and how much water farms need.
Solar-powered irrigation facilities in Pangasinan, meanwhile, continued operating during the prolonged power outage caused by Typhoon Egay in 2023, helping farmers protect their crops without relying on electricity from the grid or additional fuel.
Recto said these experiences demonstrate how renewable energy and digital technology can make Philippine agriculture more productive and resilient.
“We want to move from traditional irrigation to smart, digital and climate-resilient water management,” Recto said.
“Ang layunin ng Pangulo ay pababain ang gastos ng ating mga magsasaka, paramihin ang kanilang ani, at tiyaking may sapat na tubig ang ating mga sakahan kahit humaharap tayo sa Climate Change,” he added.
Recto said the expansion of solar-powered irrigation will form part of the Marcos administration’s long-term contribution to Philippine agriculture.
“This will be an important part of President Marcos’ legacy, a modern irrigation system that harnesses clean energy, embraces new technology, strengthens our food security and, most importantly, improves the lives and livelihoods of Filipino farmers,” Recto said.
