President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday told the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) to install more irrigation systems in Occidental Mindoro in order to increase agricultural productivity amid El Niño.

Addressing a crowd of local farmers and officials in Occidental Mindoro, Marcos said he saw the need for having sustainable irrigation solutions in the face of changing weather patterns.

"It's clear that El Niño has a strong impact on your province -- it was really dry," Marcos said during the site inspection in Occidental Mindoro to assess the impacts of the weather phenomenon.

He also noted that irrigation is important, especially for those farmers cultivating rice. Marcos also stressed that the availability of water is as critical as other agricultural inputs like fertilizers and pesticides.

"Rest assured that all of us are working together to ensure that, despite our struggles with the changing weather and what we feel as climate change, we are here to do everything within the government's power, along with local governments, your congressman, and everyone else, to help the community," Marcos said.

In addition to conducting site inspections of farmlands, the President and the government agencies extended various forms of assistance to the residents of Occidental Mindoro affected by El Niño.

Through the Rice Farmers Financial Assistance program, the Department of Agriculture (DA) provided nearly 400 beneficiaries with P3,000 worth of fuel assistance, 193 farmers received P5.1 million under the El Niño Indemnification Fund, and affected farmers received P77.5 million in loans for Survival and Recovery Aid. 

The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) awarded irrigators' group a PhP7.38 million operations and maintenance subsidy, one group a PhP18.48 million certificate of condonation and exemption, and three other groups PhP50 million worth of solar pump irrigation projects. 

Ten thousand recipients of the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) program received P5,000 each, while thirteen recipients of the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) received PhP15,000 each. 

Under the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD), the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) also gave 2,953 recipients P12.9 million for employment; 94 beneficiaries received P4.5 million for government internships. 

For 58 recipients, the DOLE also built fish aggregating equipment valued at P994,480 under the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP).