PARTIDO Reporma standard-bearer Panfilo Lacson assured Filipino farmers of a wider state-funded program that will install solar-powered irrigation systems on their paddy fields and plantations.

Lacson revealed his plan when asked how he intends to address problems on irrigation.

He said that he is using the SPIS technology in his two-hectare farm in Imus, Cavite where he grows tomatoes, calamansi and lettuce.

“Naglagay po ako ng solar powered water pump kasi maganda ‘yung pump e. Maganda ‘yung tubig sa ilalim. Ang problema koryente. So, naglagay po ako ng solar panel, kaunti lang—siguro mga 12 panels yata ‘yon—ang halaga parang P650,000,” Lacson said.

When their barangay chairman found out about it, Lacson said he immediately got interested about the possibility of expanding it, which gave the Partido Reporma chief the idea of adding it to his overall campaign agenda for the benefit of small-scale farmers.

Lacson said that the government already has a similar program under the National Irrigation Administration.

He was told by senatorial aspirant Emmanuel ‘Manny’ Piñol that the Department of Agriculture has been implementing its own SPIS projects.

“Maganda po ‘yun. Kasi kung hindi natin talaga kayang tugunan na magtayo ng mga dam para sa irigasyon, magandang substitute ‘yun, ‘yung solar power irrigation,” Lacson said.

He expressed confidence he would be able to deliver on this commitment with the support of potential partners in the private sector like Ramon Ang of the San Miguel Corporation who, he said, was equally enthusiastic about the technology.

“Iba naman ‘yung kanyang (Ang) vision. Sabi niya, ang dami nating lakes, ang dami nating ilog… Puwede tayong kumuha ng tubig—ano lang ‘yan, technology lang ‘yan—na kung saan puwede nating gamitin sa irigasyon,” the senator said.

“So, kung talagang gusto, mag-iisip nang konti magiging creative, matutugunan ‘yung problema natin sa agrikultura. Hindi import tayo nang import. Pwede pa nga tayong mag-export,” Lacson added, hoping that his optimism about the modernization of agriculture would resonate among all farmers.