Lawmaker asks NIA to halt P450-M weather subscription to US firm
A House lawmaker has asked the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) to stop its P450-million subscription to a company in the United States that provides weather forecasts and other scientific models, and use the money instead to repair irrigation facilities.
At the plenary debates on Monday regarding the NIA’s proposed 2026 budget, APEC Rep. Sergio Dagooc asked the agency about the P450 million project mentioned during the hearing conducted by the House committee on appropriations.
In response, NIA budget sponsor and Isabela Rep. Joseph Tan said the allocation was for a contract with Tomorrow.io, a US-based company that, according to its website, makes use of “advanced AI (artificial intelligence), proprietary satellite technology, and actionable data to transform how the world builds resilience to weather-related threats.”
“Mr. Speaker, the P450 (million) that we are talking about, this will be used to conduct feasibility studies, detailed engineering, and the risk [assessment] management—in particular with hydrological modeling, dam reservoir design, reservoir design validation, climate resilient planning, and project execution,” Tan said.
“It can do rainfall forecasts of up to 14 days ahead, and with a 20-year historical data set, Mr. Speaker,” he added.
‘Too huge’ amount
Dagooc, however, objected to the cost, pointing out that the allocation of P450 million was only good for a yearlong subscription to Tomorrow.io—when there were local agencies like the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) that could possibly provide the same services at a lower cost, maybe even for free.
“For the record, this representation believes this amount is too huge, when we have other government agencies—Pagasa, et cetera, if we’re talking about forecasts. Imagine, we find it hard to fund our irrigation projects, but we will spend P450 million just to detect where and when the rains would fall,” Dagooc said.
He pointed out that he would not have a problem with the allocation if it came with multiyear access to Tomorrow.io’s services.
“Maybe if this is a one-time subscription [payment] only, [we would agree]. I hope that the committee on appropriations will look into that because the funds we are allocating for different government agencies are small figures, but we will place almost half a billion yearly just for that subscription,” Dagooc said.
The NIA is slated to get a lower budget in 2026. Under the 2026 National Expenditures Program (NEP), it is being allocated P45.06 billion, lower than the P69.36 billion it got in 2025 and the P77.75 billion in 2024.
‘Global leader’
According to a post on Tomorrow.io’s website dated June 3, 2025, the company—described as a “global weather intelligence leader, headquartered in the United States, and a technology provider of US agencies”—partnered with the NIA to “help farmers adapt to volatile and challenging climate conditions and boost productivity using Artificial Intelligence in the Philippines.”
“Tomorrow.io is a global leader in weather-based satellite technology. In collaboration with the Department of Agriculture, the partnership aims to transform how weather forecasting supports farming by leveraging Tomorrow.io’s AI-driven models and proprietary network of low-orbit satellites,” the company said.
“These satellites enable micro-weather forecasting at the plot level, allowing them to deliver precise and timely agronomy advice, such as when to apply pesticides or delay irrigation based on incoming rainfall. This joint effort comes at a critical time, with the southwest monsoon (“habagat”) already starting to affect various parts of the country, signaling the arrival of the rainy season,” it added.
Tomorrow.io said it is the only provider of space-based satellite technology that would allow governments to predict weather systems using patterns and advanced monitoring.
“As a geographically complex archipelago, the Philippines faces unique weather forecasting challenges that traditional ground-based solutions cannot solve alone. With hundreds of islands, mountainous terrain, and remote regions, coverage gaps are inevitable,” it said.
“Tomorrow.io’s proprietary space-based satellite constellation is purpose-built to overcome these limitations, delivering real-time, high-resolution weather intelligence across the entire country, including the most remote and underserved areas. Tomorrow.io’s, the only global provider of such as space technology, ensures truly national coverage, enabling faster, more accurate early warnings and decision-making during severe weather events,” it added.
