President Marcos said that the government is allocating funds for agricultural infrastructure to strengthen the country's food security and agricultural productivity.

Marcos said this as he led the inauguration of the Sorosoro Ibaba Development Cooperative (SIDC) Grains Terminal and Trading Project, a P270-million feed mill facility, at Barangay Simlong in Batangas City on Thursday, March 13.

In his speech, the President said the government is investing in infrastructure to reduce post-harvest losses, stabilize prices, and increase farmers' productivity.

"Plano rin ng pamahalaan na maglaan ng pondo para sa mga dryers, mga silos, warehouses, rice at corn mills, at iba pang mga kagamitang agrikultura (The government also plans to allocate funds for dryers, silos, warehouses, rice and corn mills, and other agricultural equipment)," he said.

"Dahil dito, mababawasan ang nasasayang na bigas at mais, mapapababa natin ang presyo ng pagkain, at mas magiging produktibo ang ating mga magsasaka (Because of this, we will reduce wasted rice and corn, lower food prices, and make our farmers more productive)," he added.

According to Malacañang, the newly inaugurated grains terminal and trading project strengthens the SIDC’s role in the agricultural supply chain. This development follows the cooperative’s investment in a state-of-the-art rice mill, inaugurated in 2021, with a five-ton-per-hour capacity to process rice for its farming members.

In his speech, Marcos said the facility has two silos with a total capacity of 12,000 metric tons of corn, equivalent to 480,000 sacks of feed for over 100,000 pigs or nearly 600,000 chickens.

He added that the project seeks to address the shortage of animal food supply, ensuring stable production for the livestock and poultry industries.

"Sa pamamagitan nito, mas magiging maayos ang pag-iimbak ng ating mais. Mas magiging matibay ang ating suporta sa industriya ng poultry at saka livestock (With this, the storage of our corn will be improved. Our support for the poultry and livestock industry will be stronger)," Marcos said.

"At higit sa lahat, magkakaroon ng katiyakan ng kita ang ating mga magsasaka at ang ating mga negosyante—hindi lamang dito sa Batangas, kundi sa buong Calabarzon (And most importantly, our farmers and entrepreneurs will have a more secure income—not just here in Batangas, but throughout Calabarzon)," he added.

Strengthening cooperatives

In his speech, President Marcos highlighted the role of cooperatives in improving the livelihoods of farmers.

He said that agricultural cooperatives like SIDC can compete with large businesses and provide farmers with greater bargaining power.

"One of our first – the first elements of everything that we do is to consolidate and organize all our farmers into cooperatives, farmers groups, all kinds of organizations," Marcos said.

The President then called on more farmers to unite under well-managed cooperatives to amplify their voices and gain more government support.

"If you are only one person, you have only one voice," he pointed out.

"You build a cooperative… and you will find na palaki nang palaki ang boses ng ating mga magsasaka, ng ating mga mangingisda kapag ang kooperatiba natin ay matibay at buo ang suporta na natatanggap nila galing sa pamahalaan (that the voice of our farmers and fisherfolk will grow louder and stronger when our cooperatives are strong and receive full support from the government)," he added.

The SIDC, one of the largest agri-based cooperatives in the Philippines, has been empowering farmers and cooperative members for over five decades. Founded in 1969, it continues to expand its initiatives to improve market access, enhance production quality, and ensure sustainable livelihood for its members.

Public-private partnership for agri

Marcos likewise underscored the importance of collaboration between the government and the private sector to uplift the agriculture industry.

He also called for stronger ties between farmers, private entities, and the government to create more opportunities for rural communities.

"Nananawagan po ako: Mas patatagin pa natin ang ugnayan sa pagitan ng pamahalaan at sa pribadong sektor kasama ang ating mga magsasaka (I call on everyone: Let’s strengthen the partnership between the government, private sector, and our farmers)," the President said.