President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Tuesday led the inauguration of the Union Dam and irrigation project as a model of effective and transparent infrastructure, contrasting it with growing concerns over alleged “ghost” flood control works and farm-to-market roads in other regions.
Speaking at the event, President Marcos said the project, developed through the collaboration of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), demonstrates that the government can deliver reliable infrastructure when planning, design and implementation are done properly.
“The Union Dam is proof that when plans are well-thought-out and execution is sincere, it can deliver projects truly beneficial to people,” he said during his visit to Claveria, Cagayan.
The President emphasized that the facility not only prevents flooding but also secures year-round irrigation for more than 1,000 farmers across seven barangays.
Additionally, weirs, drainage systems, and riverbank revetments downstream are expected to further regulate water flow and protect farmlands across the valley near the Sierra Madre mountain range.
He noted that such structures are now being designed with multiple functions, including potential tourism and energy generation. He encouraged local governments to explore installing solar components at irrigation sites to produce power.
The President’s remarks came amid congressional probes into alleged non-existent or unfinished flood control and farm-to-market road projects costing hundreds of millions of pesos.
“This project proves that with proper planning, sound engineering, and honest execution, the government can build infrastructure that truly serves the people,” he said.
Turning to agricultural concerns, he acknowledged farmers’ struggles with declining palay prices.
The chief executive said the National Food Authority (NFA) will expand its procurement, buying wet palay at P18 to P19 per kilo and dry palay at P21 to P23, to protect farmers from traders offering as low as P8.
He also announced the planned distribution of P10,000 in assistance to farmers who suffered losses and said the government is studying the imposition of safeguard duties on rice imports.
“The price of rice here is dictated by imported rice. We cannot let unchecked importation destroy our farmers’ livelihoods,” he said.
Mr. Marcos reiterated that the Department of Agriculture, NIA and the Bureau of Agricultural and Fisheries Engineering will continue to build service canals and expand support infrastructure to strengthen food production.
