REP. Jose de Venecia Jr. distributed 112 water pumps to farmers in his district on Wednesday to help them boost their rice harvest in the face of the looming rice crisis in the country.

The water pumps, at five-horse power each, were released by the National Irrigation Administration to farmers in San Fabian, Mangaldan, San Jacinto and Manaoag.

Costing P70,000 each, one water pump can irrigate five hectares of land at one time, said NIA Regional Director John Celeste who assisted the former House Speaker in distributing the water pumps to beneficiaries.

Two more water pumps will soon be given next to Dagupan which has only a very limited area for rice planting.

Celeste said the water pumps were financed from the Priority Development Assistance Fund of the former Speaker in 2007, coursed through his office.

Celeste clarified that the beneficiaries were certified by municipal mayors and their town agriculture officers to be tilling lands not yet reached by existing irrigation systems.

In distributing the water pumps, de Venecia said in this rice crisis, the nation’s people look up to farmers as their heroes and savior.

De Venecia said he has began distributing water pumps, to his constituents since four years ago because of the rapid sinking of the water table caused by climate change as part of the government’s program to fight poverty.

Celeste said de Venecia was the only congressman in Pangasinan who has so far distributed water pumps so that farmers whose lands are not serviced by irrigation systems can plant.

Witnessing the distribution were de Venecia’s wife Gina, Mayor Herminio Romero of Mangaldan, Rolando Columbres of San Jacinto and Napoleon Sales of Manaoag, and Mrs. Arlyn Libunao, wife of San Fabian Mayor Mojamito Libunao.

Celeste said it is not only the planting of rice that will be supported by the water pumps but also the planting of corn, peanuts, vegetables and other cash crops.

He said the water pumps can also be installed in a four-wheeled carts for use as transport, like what a hand tractor called “kuliglig” does.(PNA)