INTRODUCTION
We break ground today for a project that is intended to immensely intensify agricultural production in Pampanga, and to ultimately regain the lahar-damaged province’s reputation as the nucleus of economic activities in Central Luzon.

By providing and assuring adequate water supply for some 10,300 hectares of farmlands in the heart of Pampanga, this irrigation component of the Pampanga Delta development project shall attain for the province self-sufficiency in rice and other farm products such as vegetables, with enough surpluses to supply some of the needs of neighboring provinces — even Metro Manila.

With much increased production comes the improvement of the living standards of the immediate beneficiaries of this project – the farmers — who have been suffering much since the Mount Pinatubo eruptions.

Also, with much heightened economic activities, productivity shall be considerably enhanced and a more efficient manpower allocation in the area shall be achieved.
METRO MANILA AS A MAJOR BENEFICIARY
As I said earlier, metro manila shall be one of the major beneficiaries of this irrigation project. Studies show that the total rice demand for metro manila by the year 2000 is expected to reach 969,000 tons. Assuming that the share of rice from central Luzon is kept at 50 percent, the quantity of rice to be supplied by Central Luzon would be 485,000 tons.

However, projected rice surplus produced in Central Luzon, without adequate irrigation, shall only reached 200,000 tons in the year 2000. The difference of 285,000 tons should, therefore, be satisfied by developing efficient irrigation system and better farming technology in Central Luzon.
CRUCIAL ROLE OF IRRIGATION
More than ever, we have begun to realize with greater clarity and urgency the vital and crucial role that irrigation plays in food sufficiency and national development. The rice shortages in 1960 and again in 1996, plus the current El Niño phenomenon, are enough reasons for us to further intensify our efforts at putting up irrigation facilities and other similar infrastructures.

And this is exactly why the Ramos administration, through the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), has been relentless in its efforts at constructing irrigation facilities and infrastructures that make possible the equitable, efficient and timely delivery of irrigation water to vast expanse of arid and rain-dependent lands in far-flung areas throughout the country.

Included in these efforts is the building of multi-purpose projects which give other benefits aside from irrigation, such as hydro-electric power, domestic water supply, forestation, road construction, and others all geared toward countryside development and uplift of the economic and social status of the rural folk.
R.A. 8435
A more recent initiative to meet the irrigation needs of farmlands is my signing into law last December 22 of Republic Act 8435 or the Agriculture and Fisheries Productivity Enhancement and Modernization Law. The law provides adequate budgetary provisions for irrigation programs to mitigate the adverse effects of El Niño as a short-term goal, and longer-term measures to improve agricultural production and efficiency.

The law fast-tracks the rehabilitation or construction of irrigation facilities and other viable water-impounding systems such as shallow tube wells, catchment basins, and small reservoirs. It also stipulates the protection, rehabilitation and conservation of watersheds.
IMPROVING ON THE LEGACY
By providing our farmers with the needed infrastructures for increased production we continue empowering them who are, after all, the backbone of the country’s economy•

I certainly hope that next set of leaders will improve on this legacy of the Ramos administration on infrastructure development so that our gained momentum towards the next century would be further enhanced•

This irrigation project of the Pampanga Delta Development Project and other similar ones being undertaken all over the country should greatly boost our efforts at attaining the status of a newly industrializing country by the turn of the century•
CLOSING
On behalf of the Filipino, I once again wish to express our sincerest gratitude to the government and the people of Japan, through its Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund (OECF), for providing this project with the needed financial support.

The Japanese government has also been actively supporting many of our development projects nationwide and we are very grateful for this•

To the men and women of the national irrigation administration, my sincere appreciation for finally undertaking this project. I am sure that you will live up to your commitment of completing this project as soon as possible.

To the farmer-beneficiaries, I expect you to not only fully utilize these facilities once completed, but will also take good care of them so that our children — and their children’s children — shall also benefit from them.

Maraming salamat at mabuhay tayong lahat!