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President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Friday, accompanied by Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado M. Estrella III and National Irrigation Administration (NIA) Administrator Eddie G. Guillen, led the groundbreaking for the P950-million Lower Agno River Irrigation System (LARIS) in Barangay Paitan, Sta. Maria, Pangasinan.
Also known as the Paitan Dam, the LARIS project is a four-phase irrigation development under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) Fund, jointly implemented by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and NIA.
Set for completion in March 2026, it will benefit 11,942 Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARB) cultivating 12,041 hectares across the towns of Rosales, Sto. Tomas, Alcala, Bautista and Bayambang in Pangasinan, as well as parts of San Manuel and Moncada in Tarlac and Cuyapo in Nueva Ecija.
The system will draw water from the Agno and Banila Rivers, with approved rights to extract up to 24,000 liters per second. Once operational, it will serve 56 Irrigator Associations, significantly boosting agricultural productivity and resilience in the region.
At the event, President Marcos also spearheaded the distribution of farm machinery and equipment worth P83.4 million under DAR’s Climate Resilient Farm Productivity Support (CRFPS) project.
The support package includes 28,000 packs of organic plant supplements worth P23.8 million for 5,600 ARBs from 280 ARB organizations (ARBO) across Region I, including 103 in Pangasinan; 10 four-wheel drive tractors worth P49.6 million for 1,719 ARBs and 10 ARBOs in Pangasinan; two multi-role power stations worth P10 million for 326 ARBs and two ARBOs in the province.
The CRFPS project is a flagship DAR initiative for 2025 aimed at boosting farm productivity and climate resilience among ARBs through access to inputs, equipment and training.
The LARIS and the CRFPS reflect the Marcos administration’s continuing commitment to agricultural modernization, food security and improving the livelihood of Filipino farmers.
