Around 88% of farmlands across the country scheduled for irrigation during this year's dry cropping season have already been watered, and the coverage is expected to improve as farming activities continue despite the El Niño-induced dry spell, the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) said. The agriculture department earlier this month said damage to farm and fisheries caused by El Niño has already reached P8.4 billion. Farm production losses, it said, could range from P8.09 billion under a "mild" El Niño case to as much as P20.46 billion under a "severe" one.

Buco, B. V. Jr. (2010, March 26-27). Around 88% of farmlands nationwide irrigated; water supply sufficient. BusinessWorld, p. S1/6.