In a significant development for agriculture in Antique, a new PHP6 million communal irrigation system was officially handed over to the Osorio I Farmer’s Irrigator’s Association, Inc. in Barangay Osorio I, San Remigio town. The ceremony, which took place on January 27, 2025, was attended by key figures including San Remigio Mayor Margarito Mission, Jr., Department of Agrarian Reform Assistant Regional Director Anthony Arostique, and officials from the National Irrigation Administration (NIA). This irrigation project is expected to revolutionize rice farming in the area by providing a reliable water source to 36 hectares of previously rain-dependent farmland. Mayor Mission highlighted that the system, which draws water from the nearby Osorio Creek, will enable the 40 farmer-beneficiaries to plant rice twice a year, effectively doubling their annual rice production. Previously, these farmers could only plant during the rainy season, limiting their harvests. With the new system in place, they can now cultivate their fields during both the dry and rainy seasons. Mayor Mission also assured the farmers of continued support from the local government unit for the maintenance of the irrigation system, underscoring a commitment to sustaining agricultural growth in the region.
