The 2026 NIA-NCIA General Assembly 02/24/2026

NIA Headquarters, Diliman, Quezon City February 24, 2026 “Naniniwala ako na ang mga polisiya ng gobyerno ay mas magiging epektibo kapag ito’y nakaayon sa mga pangangailangan ng mga taong aming pinaglilingkuran… Kaya’t nananatiling malinaw ang prayoridad ng itong – nitong Administrasyon: Patatagin ang produksyon ng pagkain, itaguyod ang kapakanan ng bawat magsasaka, at palawakin ang irigasyon sa buong bansa,” expressed President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. during the 2026 National Irrigation Administration (NIA) – National Confederation of Irrigators Associations (NCIA) General Assembly at the NIA Headquarters in Diliman, Quezon City. Noting the challenges faced by farmers due to climate change, rising costs and disasters, the President reaffirmed the Administration’s commitment to strengthening the agriculture sector. He outlined some of the measures in place to fulfill this promise. The Administration allocated more than Php63 billion for irrigation programs aimed at rehabilitating aging facilities, repairing damaged canals and irrigation systems, and expanding irrigation coverage, citing the Talavera River Super Diversion Canal Siphon rehabilitation project in Nueva Ecija as an example of improved project delivery. Originally scheduled for completion on March 1, the project was finished on February 1, one month ahead of target. “Ipinapakita nito na kapag may pangangailangan ang ating komunidad, hindi tayo nagpapaliban ng ating binibigay na serbisyo,” he said. The government has allocated Php300 billion in funding for the entire agriculture sector this year. President Marcos Jr. emphasized that this budget is intended for seeds, farm-to-market roads (FMRs), post-harvest facilities, cold storage facilities, fertilizers and other assistance programs for farmers. Among the innovations he highlighted was a biofertilizer developed through the partnership of the University of the Philippines (UP) and Agrispecialist, Inc. Beyond the significant funding, he emphasized the NIA’s new Command Center, which he will inspect afterward. The facility is part of the NIA’s modernization efforts, designed to address the increasing need for faster access to information, improved inter-office coordination, and proactive responses to climate-related risks, disasters and rising food demand. “Sa mga kawani ng NIA at mga katuwang sa NCIA, huwag nating bibiguin ang ating mga magsasaka. Ngunit salamat din sa ating mga eksperto at dalubhasa mula sa akademya at sa pribadong sektor sa patuloy ninyong pananaliksik at suporta sa sektor ng agrikultura,” he conveyed. “Sama-sama natin itaguyod ang mas masagana at mas likas-kayang sakahan sa buong bansa upang masabi natin lahat ng ating mga kababayan ay may food supply. Lahat ng ating mga kababayan ay kayang pakainin ang kanilang mga pamilya at ang lahat ng ating magsasaka ay may maganda hanapbuhay,” President Marcos Jr. ended in his message. During the event, he also held an open forum with NCIA representatives, where they discussed their priority concerns and recommendations. Connect with RTVM Website: http://rtvm.gov.ph Facebook: www.facebook.com/presidentialcom and www.facebook.com/rtvmalacanang YouTube: @RTVMalacanang Tiktok: @RTVMalacanang