Nueva Ecija Farmers Irrigate Using Solar Mobile Irrigation Pumps
One Meralco Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of the Manny V. Pangilinan-led Manila Electric Company (Meralco) with the support of Meralco employees, empower two agriculture cooperatives in Nueva Ecija through its Agriculture and Livelihood Electrification Program, allowing more Filipinos who rely on farming as their livelihood to be more productive and use sustainable solutions for their irrigation needs while potentially saving more money for their other family needs.
The Lupao Pag-ahon Agriculture Cooperative, with 65 members, and the 75-member-strong Nueva Ecija Rice, Corn, Vegetable and Livestock Raisers Multi-Purpose Cooperative (NERCOVELIR) each received a solar-powered mobile irrigation pump. The equipment eliminates their members’ dependence on using diesel-powered pumps to draw out water for their farmlands and enables them to allocate their budget for other essential needs.
In what is called the rice granary of the Philippines, Nueva Ecija—located some four hours away from Metro Manila—is home to these two rice and vegetable cooperatives which struggle with water access to grow their produce. The cooperative members relied heavily on costly diesel-powered pumps to draw out water for their farmlands. This can be more challenging during extreme dry season, or El Nino, which forced some farmers to dig for a farm pond so they can adequately water their lands and grow produce, including some members of NERCOVELIR.
"Dahil tagtuyot, nangutang pa kami ng puhunan. Gumastos pa kami para maghukay ng balon para magkaroon ng balong (pond). Gumasta pa kami ng tubo, pump, makina para lang masustenahan ang aming pagsasaka. Sa diesel pa lang napakalaki na ng gastos sa isang cropping sa palay," sighed NERCOVELIR Chairman Reynaldo Lapat.
In Lupao, farmers source their water through deep wells, requiring them to use diesel-powered pumps with an estimated fuel expense of around P12,000 per cropping season.
"Sa second cropping, dahil medyo malaki ang ginagastos natin sa patubig, ang kita ng magsasaka ang nababawasan," said farmer Henry Ramos, chairperson of Lupao Pag-ahon Agriculture Cooperative.
To help these two agriculture cooperatives, OMF and Meralco employees from its Customer Retail Services (CRS) group, the Meralco Employees Fund for Charity, Inc. (MEFCI) and other partners donated solar-powered mobile irrigation pumps which were turned-over during community events on January 10. Present during the turnover were Meralco Chief Revenue Officer, Ferdinand O. Geluz, Meralco First Vice President and CRS Head Charina P. Padua, OMF President Jeffrey O. Tarayao, and leaders and members of the respective cooperatives, as well as local government representatives from Lupao and Rizal, Nueva Ecija.
Now, many of the cooperative members can use the solar-powered mobile irrigation pump and save costs on fuel.
"Ang kita naming magsasaka ay lumaki lalo dahil nabawasan na ang pambili ng krudo. Hindi na rin nangangamba ang iba naming miyembro lalo na ‘pag nasiraan ng patubig dahil maaari naming dalhin ang mobile solar irrigation pump sa kanila para sa ganun hindi maantala ang kanyang pagpapatubig at hindi ma-stress ang kanilang pananim,” Ramos shared.
It is also seen to contribute to better yields—and in effect, higher income for members — due to adequate irrigation. “Malaki ang tulong ng tubig sa paglaki ng palay, lalo na kapag flowering stage na, kailangan ng maraming tubig ang palay kaya malaking tulong po ito sa amin,” said Lapat.
It has been an annual tradition for the Meralco CRS group to raise funds together and find ways to offer help to communities in need, its head Charina P. Padua said. “Kami po sa Customer Retail Services ay natutuwa na naging bahagi kami ng proyektong ito sa tulong ng One Meralco Foundation. Sama-sama tayong magtanim ng binhi para sa mas maliwanag na bukas para sa atin at sa ating bayan.”
Meralco Chief Revenue Officer Ferdinand O. Geluz, who is also a trustee of OMF, hailed the “first of its kind” project while underscoring the importance of Meralco values malasakit and bayanihan in uplifting the quality of life in underserved communities, including farmers, through innovative solutions.
“Sa pamamagitan ng proyektong ito, atin pong binubuhay ang tunay na diwa ng bayanihan. Sama-sama tayong lumilikha ng kinabukasan kung saan ang sustainability ay tumutulong tiyakin ang patuloy na pagunlad ng sektor ng agrikultura, hindi lamang para ngayon pero sa mga susunod pang henerasyon.”
“Rice, vegetables and other produce are essential in most Filipino households, yet we often overlook the hardships our farmers endure every day to ensure we have these basic needs on our tables. By providing sustainable solutions for our farmers, we not only improve their productivity, and efficiency, but also ultimately contribute to food security and economic development. These also foster innovation and cooperation that will help agricultural communities to thrive," said OMF President Jeffrey O. Tarayao.
The Agriculture and Livelihood Electrification program is part of OMF’s electrification for development portfolio. This includes electrification using solar power for schools, water access points and rural health centers in off-grid communities in the Philippines. To date, OMF has energized 304 schools, six rural health centers, four water access facilities, and seven agriculture and livelihood facilities or programs.
As a contribution to the universal aspiration of sustainable development and inclusive growth, these programs aim to bring the benefits of electrification to Filipino communities who need them the most.