Solar Irrigation Helps Leyte Farmers Save on Fuel Costs Amid El Niño

Posted on October 23, 2026 at 10:24 PM

Kananga, Leyte— Rice farmers in Barangay Tugbong no longer have to spend on diesel or gasoline to pump water into their fields, thanks to a solar-powered irrigation system that they began using this cropping season.

Judith Rio, president of the TONAY Solar Association, said the Tugbong Solar Pump Irrigation Project has made farming less costly for members who previously relied on deep wells, rainfall and fuel-powered water pumps to irrigate their rice fields.

With the new system, farmers can pump water without buying fuel, helping them maintain their crops during hot weather and periods of limited rainfall.

Rio said the project has also eased farmers’ worries over planting, as they now have another source of water for their fields.

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. visited Kananga on October 23 for the inauguration of the irrigation project, where he met with farmers and saw how the facility could help farming communities.

Rio thanked Marcos and the government for bringing the project to their barangay, saying it would help farmers with their daily work and expenses.

The National Irrigation Administration said solar-powered groundwater pumping systems could help farms in Eastern Visayas, particularly in areas where rivers and other surface water sources may run low during El Niño.

Engineer Georden Limsic, NIA Region 8 division manager, said the systems draw water from underground sources and can help sustain farming when surface water supplies decline.

NIA is also monitoring agricultural areas vulnerable to water shortages to guide irrigation planning and inform farmers of possible supply limitations.

In areas where water is not enough for rice farming, farmers are encouraged to consider planting other crops, with assistance from the Department of Agriculture.

The Tugbong association has started using the system this cropping season. Whether it will lead to higher rice production and better earnings for farmers remains to be seen.

Figures on fuel savings, harvest yields, the number of beneficiaries and the project’s maintenance costs were not provided.

Photo courtesy: PIA Eastern Visayas