Armscor Global Defense Inc. (AGDI), the country’s largest defense manufacturer, is banking on the implementation of the Tatak Pinoy Act to boost demand for its products and drive growth in the local firearms manufacturing industry.

“With Tatak Pinoy, government entities must honor domestic preference. So that gives the [local] industry a good advantage,” AGDI President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Gina Angangco said on Tuesday, June 9.

Angangco said the law, which aims to strengthen domestic manufacturing and help firms move up the global value chain, will further position a company like AGDI as a force to be reckoned with on the global stage.

Embodied under Republic Act (RA) No. 11981, the law identifies defense manufacturing as one of nine priority sectors slated to receive government support through the Tatak Pinoy Strategy (TPS). The TPS seeks to expand the sector’s contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP) by ₱243 billion while creating 668,000 jobs by 2040.

Angangco noted that full implementation of the law would provide much-needed stability to the local industry in a year marked by supply chain uncertainties, which have been exacerbated by shipping constraints from the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

“We see opportunities not only to grow commercially but to strengthen our country’s defense posture and contribute to peace and stability in the region,” she said.

AGDI expects this year to be a period of recovery after a difficult 2025, which was hampered by a six-month gun ban ahead of the midterm elections and the reciprocal tariffs imposed by the United States (US).

Angangco said the company’s key markets are on an upward trajectory this year, with several supply agreements with foreign firms currently under negotiation. She added that dual-purpose firearms—those serving both military and civilian markets—will likely be key sales drivers for the company.

Even so, Angangco emphasized that AGDI’s main focus remains its commercial markets in the Philippines and abroad, given that government contracts frequently experience delays due to lengthy budgetary processes.

At present, AGDI exports to more than 60 countries, including the US, where it also maintains a manufacturing presence.

Beyond its current manufacturing site in Marikina City, the company remains keen on developing a new facility—a plan originally proposed by former AGDI CEO Martin Tuason, who passed away last year.

“We have plans of setting up a different location. We’re very crowded here right now, and there’s no more space for expansion,” Angangco said.

She noted that the company is currently exploring several prospective locations for the project, all within Luzon.

“Right now, there’s a lot of uncertainty in the world because of these conflicts. So for many of our projects, we have to study the appropriate timing very carefully,” she added.