In a bid to help farmers and ensure food security in the country, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has secured business agreements with China to ensure fertilizer supply, Malacañang said.

Communications officer-in-charge Undersecretary Cheloy Garafil said this development took place in a roundtable discussion 5 with chief executive officers (CEOs) from the agribusiness sector in Beijing, China, on Jan. 5.

The President reportedly expressed his appreciation to two Chinese fertilizer manufacturing companies that have signed a cooperation agreement with the Philippine International Trading Corporation (PITC) to ensure a sustainable supply of the much-needed fertilizers at reasonable prices.

"We look forward to a steady supply of fertilizer inputs needed by our farmers through these agreements," Marcos said.

According to the President, agricultural inputs, especially fertilizers, have "become prohibitive and unaffordable for our local farmers."

"Providing sustainable and affordable supply of inputs such as fertilizers and seedlings has become more difficult, given global economic challenges, as we have all seen in the supply chain problems that we have encountered," he said.

President Marcos noted that one strategy to address the issue is to establish cooperative agreements with suppliers so the government can buy these inputs in bulk and to be able to sell them to farmers at a lower price.

In addition, Garafil said the Philippines had secured US$2.09 billion in purchase intentions for Philippine fruits such as durian, coconut, and bananas, among others.

In the meeting, Marcos emphasized that the Philippine economic fundamentals "remain strong and have been steadily improving."

"I assure you that the Philippine government is committed to supporting your business activities in the country," he said.

"The Philippine economic management team, including the Department of Agriculture (DA), will serve as your focal points of contact for any concerns regarding doing business and expanding your commercial footprint in the Philippines," he added.

The Chief Executive also invited Chinese business leaders to look at the Philippines equally "as a valuable contributor to their global businesses and as a partner in rebuilding the economies of both our countries."

"Our partnership is critical in adapting and recovering from the pandemic. So together, I think that we can build a more resilient and sustainable economy," Marcos said.

Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual, who joined the President in the roundtable discussion, invited business leaders to "firm up your interest to make an investment destination in the Philippines for plantation development and building of processing facilities."

In his remarks, he cited the expansion of the country's market reach and participation in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Trade in Goods Agreement or ATIGA, the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area, and other agreements of ASEAN.

"The Philippines is a highly promising production base for agribusiness, a source of products for export to China," Pascual said.

"Let us make more agribusiness investments happen in the Philippines," he added.