ISABELA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday led the inauguration in Isabela Province of the largest solar pump irrigation project (SPIP) in the country.

The SPIP is a project of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) and aims to increase agricultural production by providing sustainable and sufficient irrigation water.

It consists of 1,056 solar panels that can produce a total of 739,200 watts and two submersible pumps with output discharge capacity of 12,800 gallons per minute.

This can provide irrigation to 350 hectares of agricultural land, benefitting 237 farmers of the province.

Isabela is known as “the Rice Granary of the North” due to its massive production of rice, as well as of corn.

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In his speech, Marcos Jr. noted how this would benefit the agricultural sector as the farmers in the province rely mostly on diesel- and gasoline-powered pumps.

“Napakalaki pa naging katipiran natin dito dahil bukod sa libre na ang [pagkukunan] ng kuryente, inilagay mismo sa taas ng irrigation canal ang ating solar panels, kaya hindi [na] po mababawasan ang lupang tinataniman ng ating mga magsasaka,” Marcos said.

(We are saving a lot from this because the power source is free and the solar panels are above the irrigation canals, so farmers can use more of the land to plant on.)

Marcos said he hopes the project would help sustain the communities’ demand for water supply in case of another wave of dry spell.

“Makarating na naman ang El Niño, bumalik ang tagtuyot ay mayroon din tayong maaasahan na water supply. Hindi lamang para sa irrigation, kung hindi pati na para sa water supply ng ating mga consumer,” he said.

(Even when El Niño returns, if the dry spell comes back, we will still have a reliable water supply. Not just for irrigation, but even water supply for consumers.)

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The project would also add to the sources of power for northern Luzon, Marcos added.

“May sobra, may sobrang production ng kuryente ito. Kaya't ito puwedeng ibalik sa grid, puwedeng ibenta. Maaaring ipagbili ngayon ang sobra. Kapag may solar plant ka, may powerplant ka at hindi niyo ginagamit lahat ng power ay dadalin niyo, lalagay natin sa grid, mayroon tayong…may additional na kita,” Marcos explained.

(The excess power can go back to the grid, we can sell it.)

The Presidetn also  said that his administration is eyeing to rehabilitate Magat Dam, one of the country’s biggest dams.

“Pagandahin natin. Lagyan din natin ng ganitong solar kung babagay siya para naman i-modernize natin lahat ng ating mga facilities,” he said

(Let us make it better. Let's put solar panels if that is feasible so we can modernize all our facilities.)

Located at Ramon, Isabela, Magat Dam is a major source of irrigation for about 85,000 hectares of farmland.

It also supplies electricity to the northern Luzon grid.