Solar-Powered Irrigation System Launched in Cotabato

The President led the ceremonial switch-on of the first prototype of the Solar-Powered Irrigation System (SPIS) in barangay New Janiuay, M’lang, North Cotabato on 3 January 2017.

Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Emmanuel Piñol spearheaded the establishment of the prototype non-inverter solar powered irrigation system in its pilot site located in a land owned by Antonio Jugos and Alfonso Palmares and first tested on 22 December 2016.

The 50 solar panels could pump out between 800 to 1,000 gallons per minute on intensely hot days and 400 gallons under overcast skies. According to a technical study made by the Department of Agriculture’s Central Agriculture and Fisheries Engineering Division (CAFED), it could irrigate 15 hectares every day or 150 hectares in 10 days.

According to the Secretary the system could be established in less than a month with at least 10 crew workers with an estimated development cost of P50,000 to P60,000 per hectare. The big irrigation systems of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) cost ranges from P350,000 to P450,000 per hectare of rice farm. The SPIS is about P300,000 lower per hectare.

The barangay Janiuay SPIS is the first small-scale irrigation system using solar power commissioned by the Department of Agriculture. The project is targeted to cover 500,000 hectares over the next five years and is expected to contribute largely to the DA’s program to attain rice sufficiency during the Duterte administration.

“Theoretically, if each of the 15 regional offices of the DA would engage 20 working teams each, the DA through the Bureau of Soils and Water Management could irrigate 360,000 hectares of the 2.6-million hectares of rain-fed areas or 1.44-million hectares within the next four years of the Duterte Presidency,” Piñol emphasized. The secretary said he had recommended to the President to declare the solar-powered irrigation as a flagship project of the department and ask Congress for P20 billion for the project starting 2018 to 2022.

SPEECH OF PRESIDENT RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE DURING THE CEREMONIAL SWITCH-ON OF THE M’LANG SOLAR POWERED IRRIGATION SYSTEM

Brgy. New Janiay, M’lang, North Cotabato
February 3, 2017

Thank you.

Secretary Piñol; Undersecretary Berna Puyat, the Department of Agriculture, nga ara mga babae nga ga-red, (laughter) auntie ko na; Mister Peter Laviña, Administrator, National Irrigation Administration; Governor Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza, province of Cotabato; Mayor Russel Abonado, the municipal mayor; Major General Carlito Galvez, Jr., WestMinCom Commander; mga kaupod ko diri sa M’lang.

You know, one of those who really pushed me to run, everytime that he sees me, gagolf ni si Mayor Piñol, araw-araw, jobless way trabaho. (laughter) kaya kung nakita niya ko. (dialect) Tumatawag-gatawag..dagan ka pagka president. President Duterte: “Piñol, gibinuangan ko nimo?” “Ngano man?” “Ngano man ko nimo gibutang diha? Unsaon ta pagdaog ani nga wala may sapi?” “Ah basta, feeling lang man nako manalo ka.” “Ana ko, ‘feeling lang? Patay. Pero ang kwarta—” Well anyway, the rest is history. But the first thing that I did where one of my campaign promises was—well, I’ll just mention all.

I promised you there will be no graft and corruption and there will be none. (applause) Wala talaga. Each and every department is just given 30 days to act on official papers, whether it is approved or disapproved, palabasin yan.

It takes about 1, year, 2 years; NEDA would take forever. Mga tamad ang (expletive) eh. So sabi ko sa lahat ng departamento, 30 days. Now, I have noticed that I released 1 billion ng ara nga gihatag ni Manny, pagka gatan awon mo murag iyang kwarta ah. Sige panghatag, gadagan ka’g senador? (laughter) Lintian, kapitalan ka sa.

Well anyway, he asked for one billion and much more. Ako naman kay Manny, he has always been a good guy. Maayo nga administrador si Manny. (applause) usa hay putong pero it’s not really a question of temperament but it is the knowhow.

That is why, one of the very first na sinabi ko, kasi farm boy, lumaki talaga siya sa lupa. Sabi ko, may alam yan, hindi lang ninyo alam. dia pa-English-English ang boxing, wala ah, sabi ko, o patay, flat na ang kontra, ara man ang trabaho niadto. Pero when he was appointed, he hit the ground running, one of the few guys sa aking administration, day 1 pa lang; banat na, trabaho na. (applause)

So, alam mo kung bakit tayong mga taga-Mindanao, at least ang tatay ko, we’re all migrants. Gipahawa ta saatong mga probinsya didto sa mga Ilonggo countries. Mga Cebuano, Bol-anon. So naka anhi ta karon sa Cotabato, nagapangita ta nga maayong kinabuhi para satong anak. Mao ng spirit ni Manny, naa and he has—he knows basic things, wa nay daghang istorya, kanang mahal.

For example, everywhere I go during the last election, the main complaint was always been— ‘they cannot pay the yearly 5,000— ha? Irigasyon nga.

Alam mo, sabi ko sa mga tao, kung sakali, I will do away ‘yung bayad sa tubig, libre na ‘yan sa pila. And now, it’s libre. (applause)

Wala na mo’y problema sa tubig, except that you must come up with something other than the irrigation provided hereto for by the government.

Kailangan ninyo nang maghanap ng ibang technology. The technology is advancing everyday. They call it, not inventions, innovations. And it’s done everywhere. For example, Israel, they plant, halos nagkakaroon kana o mga kahoy tanan, masig unsang butanga, It’s either the wind power or the solar power. That’s the only clean energy that we can use now.

Pero, if it’s not a recycle thing, then you have the oil, the bunker. Then you have the coal. Ngayon, I’m sorry to say that at this stage, ang large scale technology can hardly meet the challenges of modern civilization.

So punta ako dito, punta— Most of them would require coal, the Aboitiz, ‘yung kay SM dito. But maybe, sa inyong panahon na ‘yan, sa mga anak natin, maybe about 15 to 20 years from now, at kung ganitong technology starts with a pilot, pilot muna, maliit lang, experimental and if this thing succeeds, we can replicate all throughout the country.

So ganun ‘yan. And in the meantime, gahatag ko’g ayuda sa mga taong naigo. By the way, I also would like to inform you that I released another one billion, last year, December. Sabi ko kay Judy Taguiwalo, the DSWD, na “ibigay mo ito sa mga tao na may hawak ng reseta at hindi makabili ng medisina.” (applause)

So, sabi ko sa mga director, no offense intended. Hindi kayo, mga iba. May prepared speech kasi. Pero wala man, dalawang pages lang man.

Pleasant good afternoon na kaagad. (laughter) Tuo ug, nianhi dri, nag speech, nangopya pa gyud.

But, I said you have just to keep up with the changing of the times. Ang ato na lang kasi dito is the law and order. The only thing that prevents Mindanao from succeeding is really the state of lawlessness.

In Lanao and in the southern tip, that’s Zamboanga, Jolo, Tawi-Tawi. At itong atin ngayong sa komunista, there has been a breakdown.

And I thought all the while that we have a ceasefire, suddenly, they lifted it because they wanted— ang Communist Party of the Philippines would want me to release 400 prisoners. Convicted na, ara na diha sila sa Bilibid.

At the start of the talks, I released all political, kanilang leader, just to assemble their men, to meet with Dureza, Bello, and some guys, Braganza for peace talks.

Suddenly, the other day, sabi nila, “We’re breaking off and we are abandoning the ceasefire, unilateral—” Unilateral, kanila ‘yun. Sumunod na rin ako.

Ngayon kahapon, sa bilang ko, marami akong patay na sundalo. I lost about six and one officer, pati dito. I have to visit the family after here.

Kaya kagabi, I decided, I called General Año and said, “ni-lift ko ‘yung ceasefire tonight. Wala ng ceasefire.”

Noong nag-ceasefire ako, kumpiyansa ‘yung mga sundalo ko. Maglakad diyan, magkuha ng sa ATM. Eh wala ngang mga baril eh. Tapos kinidnap; patay, tatlo.

Eh kung ganun, then let me be very frank with you. I tried my best to initiate, went out of my way to release as much as— mga leader nila, nandoon na sa Oslo para lang makipag-usap.

Now, there is this demand na i-release ko ‘yung 400. Eh ‘di parang nag-grant na ako ng amnesty niyan.

But you know, with that number, that is only can be given by amnesty. I do not own the Republic of the Philippines. Though I am the number 1, I do not decide alone. (applause)

I consult people particularly ang military pati police, tinatanong ko, “O ano? Pwede ba ito sa inyo? Maligaya ba kayo?”

Hindi sabihin na ipa-release mo, i-release ko ‘yan. ‘Di parang nag-surrender na lang ang— ‘Di mag-surrender na lang tayo sa—

Saan dito ang NPA, dito, ke mag-surrender na kami? (laughter) Sus. Tapos ‘pag wala kami dito, sigeg lakaw-lakaw diha. Sige na, walang hiyaan. Tingnan mo na.

Unreasonable demands. Sabi ko, ganito na lang, nandiyan ‘yung media, I’m sure the Republic of the Philippines, the nation, is listening to us this afternoon.

I would have wanted very much, talagang gusto ko, kasi it’s about 50 years in the making. Ang ibig sabihin, gusto ninyo another 50 years? Wala nang katapusan? Eh kung walang katapusan, ‘di sige. But let it not be said that I did not try. So I guess that peace with the communists cannot be realized during our generation. Maybe years from now.

So ayaw ko magpatayan pero kung ganun lang naman na ang mga sundalo ko, pinagpapatay pati sa uban lugar, resume tayo, anytime.

Sige nagsabi sila, February 10. Ambush dito, ambush doon, sa Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao. Sorry.

So I really would like to express my sadness. We cannot have a peaceful generation. There will always be fight. I’m here for six years. Siguro kung malasin, less than. But to me, mahirapan na tayo.

About the only time, the golden opportunity kasi galing ako sa Left, would be under my administration, otherwise, wala na. They don’t trust each other.

‘Di man nila pansinin ‘yang Presidente, gaya rin, I heard Monsod, Diokno, Saguisag, ‘yung gumawa ng Constitution ni Cory, they will fight tooth and nail, but they will never, never allow the amendment.

Ayaw nila ang federal. Well, nakikinig man lahat, sige. I’ve told you before. Right at the start of the campaign that I am running because nobody on stage, even during the debates, was talking about Mindanao.

Kaya ako napasubo tumakbo because whenever I hear them talk in public, they seem to have forgotten that there is a civil war going on in Mindanao. For the communists, it’s all over the country.

Ito namang dito sa Mindanao, we are lucky indeed that the MI and MN are ready to talk. Ang problema lang nito is ang panahon, we were overtaken by the events sa Middle East.

There is now in this island of Mindanao and in Jolo, diyan sa mga islands diyan, ‘yung mga Abu Sayyaf at iyong pinaka-lider si Hapsilon (Hapilon) was sent by the ISIS because he was appointed now the ISIS leader, I think, for this part of the Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Philippines.

Pumasok siya sa Lanao last week and there was a firefight, binomba sila ng Armed Forces. At ewan ko, si Hapsilon (Hapilon) daw was wounded in the shoulder.

I do not think, I can talk to the terrorists. Hindi na sila papayag. Kaya’t mga kapatid kong Moro, my mother is a Maranao. Huwag kayong masaktan kung may sasabihin ako sa iyo.

It’s not about the Moro people, it’s about the Arabs at kanilang ISIL. Huwag kayong magsunod diyan, ke makita mo naman ‘yung mga babae, ayaw makipag-sex sa kanila, itinatapon sa apoy, mga bata.

Tapos kung mag-gulgol ng tao, harap-harapan when you could just shoot them in the head, then— i-public pa ‘yung decapitation. Those are the ISIS. Walang pinipili ‘yan, Arabs.

And if Trump decides to invade the Middle East and if the ISIS loses its land base there, they will start to scatter around the world, ang favorite target nila would be the southern part of the Philippines.

It’s gonna be bloody. Pareho na sa Iraq ug Baghdad kita ka buto kada adlaw and the civilization, it’s in ruins. So that we have to prepare.

Earlier, I guess I could just get it pa, usap lang, by just being a good boy. Sige lang. Minsan, ininsulto ako, ganun. Okay lang. Part of the territory, embarrassment, being humbled, pero huwag sobrahan kasi ‘di naman talaga tayo pala-away pero I would not allow my—

So we’ll just have to buy arms, more bullets, more deaths. Ayaw ko. Ayaw na ayaw ko. Pero kung ‘yan ang gusto nila pati mga komunista, wala man ako magawa. So away tayo. Let’s give it another 50 years. Okay na siguro.

I went out of my way, walked the extra mile just to look for an opening where I can find peace for my country. I am not really in the sense, maybe not the most decent person, but I entered into this exercise and utter good faith.

Wala akong hangarin. ‘Di ako tumatakbo na, ‘di ako nagkakampanya, at alam ninyo, pasalamat ako mga Ilonggo that I won here, sa lahat. In the Muslim areas, nag-landslide ako. (applause)

In Jolo lahat, pero ang problema, nandiyan ‘yung ISIS. Maybe, the terrorists would not buy all of its— But the problem is there is already a widening gap.

Ako, for heavens sake, I will never talk to the terrorists. But I’m ready to concede federalism.

To Nur Misuari and to the MILF, wala kayong problema sa akin, okay sa akin ‘yan, mas maligaya ako.

But you know, narinig ninyo kagabi? Monsod, Davide – sila ‘yung mga Filipino, they think na ito ‘yung gusto— sila Saguisag.

Do not— trabaho nila ‘yun eh. Yun ‘yung commission na inilagay ni Cory after the EDSA revolution, ‘yang Constitution na trabaho nila. They think it is more than its weight of gold.

Huwag niyong gawain ninyo— walang alam, diktador lang, ganun. Well, I’d like to address them. Okay, wala tayong problema.

But remember, I told you right at the beginning of the campaign that there will be no peace in Mindanao, ‘pag hindi ninyo ibigay ang federalism. Sabihin ko sa inyo, it will eventually break our country.

So kayong mga Moro, bakit nagpapatayan dito? Anak ng— nandito na tayo sa Mindanao, kung hindi tayo pinagbigyan, ‘di magtayo tayo ng sarili nating bayan, federal state of Mindanao.

Kayong mga Moro, saan kayo malakas? So botohan lang talaga ito. Takbo kayo doon. Iyon namang mga Kristiyanos, mga settlers, you also form one party, but at the end of the day, kung may parliament or Congress, whatever, it should only be one unit.

At magrerespetuhan tayo dito. To the Moro, do not drive the Christians away because you will lose much (inaudible). Without the Christians, wala rin kayo.

And for the Christians, without the Moro people, without their cooperation, without their wisdom, we cannot move forward. Kailangan— ano ba naman ‘yang magkapitbahay tayo? Relihiyon? Doon ka lang tingin sa langit. Pasagdi ‘yang mga pari ninyo, wala na.

Pari, pagdungag lang na sa gubot. Ang ayaw ko sa pari, ayaw ko ng Katoliko, hipokrito. Huwag mong gawin ‘yan, huwag mong gawin ‘yan; kung ako ang maggawa, okay lang.

Sige’g sermon, sigeg sermon sa pulpito gida atake ko. Anong mga ginagawa ko para man ito sa bayan ko. Kaya pinapatay ko ‘yung tao, anak ng— 400— Four million drug addicts. Four million slaves, slaves sa kwarta, sa bulsa, sa mga drug lords.

Kaning pusher ingon nila pobre. (expletive) pala kayo eh. Eh kung dato na drug lord na, dili na pusher. But there can be no drug lord ug wala pud mu-push. Kinsa man mupalit? Kinsa man mo-distribute, di man kamo? Ang mga dato, ang mga Intsik. Wala na kay daghan tuod. Tonelada ng shabu ang gina—

Tapos, patayin pobre, naka-tsinelas lang. Bakit mo ipilit ‘yang inosente, pobre. Sino gud pumatay ng—? Tapos ang sabi singko-mil.

Anak, itong mga pulis na ito, may— Iyong mga nagpunta doon sa abugado, binibigyan ‘yan sila ng pera kasi pambili ng shabu. If you do not have the money to buy those drugs from the pusher, wala kayo makuhang ebidensya. There is no trafficking buy and sell of drugs.

Ang krimen diyan is nagbibibili ka para maubos lahat, ma-contaminate. Iyang mga ‘yan, binibigyan ng pera para magkakaroon ng transaction. Kalabas-labasan ngayon, ibinayad daw sa kanila.

Ibig sabihin ibinulsa ninyo. Hindi niyo ibinigay ang droga—ay, ang pera, pinatay ninyo, walang kaso; hindi na nagastos ang pera, binulsa mo; binulsa mo pa ang shabu siguro. Alangan. Pagkabugok naman itong mga taga-Maynila talaga.

“Hoy!” Sabi ko sa mga taga-Maynila, “Hindi ako Presidente pitsugin kagaya diyan sa inyo ha? Iyang mga taga-Luzon, bali. Huwag ninyo akong baliin ha? Mindanao ‘to.” (applause)

Huwag mo akong loko-lokohin na ganun ang istorya. How much did I give? 150 million intelligence fund, Crame. ‘Yun ‘yung pinag— Sige, magbili kayo nang magbili. Huli nang huli. O nakita mo ngayon, sabihin na binibigyan daw sila ng singko-mil kada— (expletive) Bakit man ako magbigay sa inyo para magpatay? Trabaho ninyo ‘yan. Gusto mo ikaw ng patayin ko? Nabuang. (laughter)

Binabayaran? Ako, magbayad sa pulis? (expletive) Umalis ka nga diyan.

Ang ibig sabihin ‘non ‘yun para pambili nila, hindi nila binili. So walang transaction, so possession lang. Iyong isa, isa dalawang sachet, could not come up with the quantity, ‘pag huli, bail. Pag huli, bail.

Hindi ko alam ‘yang raket ng mga pulis, yawa. Makahuli ‘yan ng isang tonelada. So ang 500 kilos, i-surrender nila ‘yan. Sa Crame kinabukasan, ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta— medal. Maganda ang operation, ke naka-recover ng kalahati, ang kalahati (expletive), ipinagbili. (laughter)

Huwag ninyo akong baliin. Iyang mga taga-Maynila na mga— mahina ‘yan. Kaya kayo, sabi, ayaw ninyong baligtarin ang Constitution, ayaw ninyong palitan, fine. So the Moro people, you should know what to do if they come here.

Kay ara kadako sa Buluan, kapatagan. Adto nga sila ngadto panitan mo ah. (laughter) Magbuot-buot sa aton. Dito lang ang maganda na ang samahan eh. All you have to do is to promote— Eh ‘di well. Kagaya ko, I stayed in the dormitory. Ang lahat ng classmate ko, mga Ilokano. Wala man kaming problema.

Do not talk about God. Do not talk about ‘yang baboy-baboy. Bastos ‘yan eh. Huwag lang ‘yang— Do not talk about religion and don’t talk about bugal-bugal nga baboy-baboy.

Talagang masamang biro ‘yan. Aside from that, mangasawa ka ug Maguindanao, para sang gwapa kanina. (laughter) Padala ka na lang dowry, ke mahal ang kubra dire.

So I’d like to— say my appreciation to the, our foreigner friends. Sila si Rocky, si Wang (inaudible) for helping us, realize the dream of the small Filipino. I appreciate it really very much. And if you have time, pass by my office or my ara man bahay ko diha sa Pasig.

Pero ako didto ako puyo sa pikas. Kay ang multo sa Malacañan, maski adlaw nagpapakita man. Iyon bang multo sa Pilipina, nakita ko nga maulidte, Pilipino na luspad. Sa Malacañang, rocking chair nga puti nakagunit ug pipa. Abay linte ni ah. Diri ta, retreat, retreat. Si didto ako katulog sa kagagmay na kwarto sa atbang.

So punta kayo doon. Honestly, magpunta si ano, imbitado ko kayo. We’ll have dinner, batch by batch. (applause) Dalhin ni Secretary Piñol si— Sabi niya, ‘di naman daw siya maglaban na ng pulitika. Wala na daw kayong away dito kasi— Senador na ‘to. (laughter)

Kita ka pinaka-hardworking. Marami talagang bumilib kay ano. Isa lang ang— Ito, ito: sa golf, nung sinabi ko, “Man, ikaw ang Agriculture.” Sabi ko, “Man, wala lang corruption.” “Oo.” Siya, “Corruption lang?” “Oo, corruption lang.” “Babae, kagaya sa iyo?” “Aba, oo, okay lang.” (laughter) Patay sa luso sa Ilonggo waay babae-babae ha.

So again, I appreciate coming here. But I have to visit also the wounded soldiers and may isa ‘atang patay.

I’m really very sorry. I’d tried my best, pero pareho sa kanta “my best was not good enough.”

So para sa tingin ko, there will be no peace in this land vis-à-vis with the Communist Party. Ipagpatuloy natin ‘yung giyera, hindi na ako nagtagal. Last night, I decided, sabi ko, “I-lift mo na.” Kasi ang sa kanila, February 10 pa pero marami na akong patay na sundalo.

Mahirap ‘yan. Kaya sabi ko, “Resume kayo. Take your position and be alert.” And then to the nation, I said, I really tried. But the demands are just too huge that it is impossible to meet or even work out a compromise.

Para sa akin, releasing the leaders, the fact that they are there in Oslo talking is already a sign na gusto ko na sana talaga.

Pero kung i-release iyan ngayon, alam mo ang totoo? Sabihin ko lang sa iyo ang totoo, ‘pag idi-disappoint mo ang military pati pulis, baka madisgrasya pa ako.

Sabihin ko sa inyo ang totoo, pinilit nila ‘yan. I do not— Just because I’m the number one President, hindi sabihin na ako lang ang magdesisyon, sa akin lang ‘yan. I have to take into account: civil society, Congress, the military, and the police.

And because I have lost so many soldiers in just 48 hours, I think to continue with a ceasefire does not or will not produce anything.

Therefore, I’m asking the soldiers, “Go back to your camps, clean your rifles and be ready to fight.” I am sorry but that is how it is. (applause)

Kaya in the meantime, kayong mga sibilyan, huwag na ninyong sirain ang bayan ninyo, magtulungan na lang. Tulungan ninyo si Secretary Piñol. Tulungan ninyo ‘yung Congressman ninyo, mga gobernador ninyo.

And the above all, ako open ako, whatever is your problem, kung hindi ninyo masolba dito, kay Secretary Piñol. Kung hindi ninyo masolba, tell Secretary Piñol na samahin ka sa Malacañan at i-reimburse ko siya sa pamasahe. (applause)

Tapos, tanungin ko kung ano ang problema mo? Kung naghiwalay na kayo, iniwan ka ng asawa at nagkaproblema ka, huwag mo na siyang kunin. Si Piñol nay bahala adto. (laughter)

Bitaw, mga kapatid kong Moro, Asalamu alaikum. The Christian community, kindly just— Bakit sa Malaysia, they’re able to do it? Why do you have to hate your— katabi mo na Maguindanao?

Wala, pare-pareho man kayo ah. Why have to generate hatred here? Ano bang kasalanan sa atin ng mga Moro, sila nga ang nauna dito eh. Ganon-ganon na lang tayo. Timpla-timpla na lang.

And maybe, but I’m sad to report to you that there will be no peace with the communists for the next generations. Paubusan lang talaga ‘to, walang magawa. Wala akong magawa. (applause)

I tried but seems like I am at the losing end of the bargain.

Maraming salamat po. ●