00:00 Until four months, that's the deadline given by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
00:05 to the Department of Agriculture and National Irrigation Authority
00:09 to finish water-related projects in the country.
00:12 This is also because of the expected serious effect of the El Nino phenomenon in the Philippines.
00:18 The Central News from Mark Fetalco Live.
00:25 Angelique Tiniac of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is the permanent member of the government
00:30 to address the possible serious effect of the El Nino in the country.
00:34 If that is an irrigation project, the President of Nueva Ecija has allowed
00:39 to help in the search for life of farmers.
00:41 As a preparation for the possible effect of the El Nino in the coming year,
00:46 President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. ordered the government agencies
00:51 to complete all water-related projects in April 2024.
00:55 I am thinking about the projects that we will do.
00:57 We have four months to finish all of them, to make them operational.
01:04 Because the deadline I made for our departments is in their favor.
01:10 We have to think about what we can do to finish by April of next year.
01:17 So that when May comes, the drought is still there and it is not raining yet,
01:24 we have enough water supply.
01:28 The President made the announcement at the inauguration of the Balbalungao Small Reserve Water Education Project
01:33 in Nueva Ecija today.
01:35 According to the President, this is part of the government's plans
01:39 to increase rice productivity in the province, as well as to strengthen the agriculture sector.
01:45 Maybe now, they are planting rice, maybe they can start planting rice
01:50 because we have a water source.
01:53 So that will increase the production immediately by 30%.
01:57 So that's what we are hoping will be the effect of that.
02:01 But that is part of the general effort of the DA and of the government to increase our production.
02:09 It just so happens that that is also what we need to do so that we can secure our rice supply, our food supply.
02:20 More than 500 farmers from 5 barangays in the town of Lupao
02:24 will benefit from the project with more rice and higher income for them.
02:29 We are planning to get a source of water,
02:32 like from the river and the fields, to get water for our vegetables and rice
02:41 that we are getting from our neighbors here in the barangay of Silubro, town of Lupao.
02:47 This project is very important.
02:49 We are thankful to the President for bringing this inauguration.
02:54 We will be able to supply the rice we have been asking for for a long time, twice a year.
03:02 Aside from that, the project will help in increasing the supply of electricity
03:06 and also in controlling the flood to the residents near the river.
03:09 They raised the fund for this to reach more than 1.27 billion pesos.
03:14 Angele, the President once again assured the government will provide assistance to those who are affected by the El Niño.
03:23 Angele?
03:24 Yes, Mark.
03:25 The President set up a task force last April to address the effects of the El Niño.
03:31 Is there an update on this?
03:33 Angele, the President set up a task force for the El Niño last April.
03:43 It's good that you asked, Angele,
03:45 because during the ambush interview, the President said that the structure of the El Niño task force will change
03:52 because according to the President, the El Niño phenomenon requires more extensive efforts to reduce the effects of climate change.
04:01 Angele?
04:02 Okay, thank you very much, Mark Fetalco.
