News Details

Proposed 2026 NIA Budget Aims to Expand Irrigation, Enhance Crop Production

NPO

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November 22, 2025

MANILA — The proposed PHP54.79-billion budget for the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) in 2026 is geared toward expanding and strengthening the country’s irrigation systems to secure a stable water supply and boost agricultural productivity, Senator Francis Pangilinan said Thursday.

Presenting the budget before the Senate, Pangilinan emphasized that every major component of the spending plan is aligned with the construction, rehabilitation, expansion, and monitoring of irrigation facilities nationwide.

“Irrigation is the most powerful force multiplier in Philippine agriculture. Kung walang tubig, walang tutubo (If there is no water, nothing will grow),” Pangilinan stressed.

Under the proposed allocation, the Irrigation Restoration Program regains its National Expenditure Program-level funding, including:
• PHP10.08 billion for national irrigation systems
• PHP5.02 billion for communal irrigation systems
• PHP630.61 million for other irrigation structures

For expansion efforts, the budget also supports the Irrigation Systems Development Program, which includes:
• PHP851 million for extension and expansion of existing systems
• PHP5.22 billion for pump irrigation installations
• PHP2.1 billion for special sub-programs

Pangilinan said these investments will help expand irrigation coverage across key agricultural provinces—supporting farmers and strengthening food production.

Several locally funded priority projects are likewise reinforced under the proposed budget, such as:
• PHP45 million for the Angat Afterbay Regulator (Bustos) Dam
• PHP500 million for the Ilocos Norte–Ilocos Sur–Abra Stage 2 Project
• PHP513.38 million for the Tumauini River Multi-Purpose Project in Isabela

To strengthen transparency and public accountability, PHP50 million has been earmarked for digital monitoring tools, including the development of an online dashboard displaying project timelines, budgets, awarded contracts, implementing contractors, and geo-tagged construction progress.

The enhanced NIA budget aims to ensure reliable irrigation—considered essential for food production—while equipping the sector with modern tools to safeguard project integrity and performance.

NPO News Team | PNA–PR