Marcos says he wants soil laboratories in every region
President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. on Monday said his administration is targeting to establish soil laboratories in every region across the country.
Marcos made the remark as he engaged with the national grand winners of the 50th Gawad Saka: Parangal sa mga Natatanging Magsasaka at Mangingisda in a forum at the Science City of Muñoz in Nueva Ecija.
The President said he is optimistic that there will come a time where the Philippines will no longer depend on rice importation.
''Mayron at mayroon na tayong nasimulan. Gusto naming maglagay ng permanent na soil laboratories sa bawat regions. Ito'y unang... Phase I pa lang ika nga, Phase I pa lang ito kaya't pagpatuloy lang ang aming... pagpatuloy lang ang aming ginagawa para lahat ng tulong na maibigay natin sa ating mga mangingisda at farmer, gagawin natin,'' Marcos said.
(We have already started. We want to place permanent soil laboratories in every region. This is just the Phase I so we will continue to provide help to our fisherfolk and farmers.)
''Dadaring din tayo sa araw na hindi na tayo masyadong umaasa sa importation kaya't yun ang ating habol, 'yun ang magiging sign of success natin kapag talagang nabawasan na ng husto ang ating pagbili ng imported rice,'' Marcos added.
(There will come a time that we will no longer depend on importation. That's our goal, that will be the sign of our success if our dependence on importing rice will decrease.)
In December of last year, Marcos launched the country's first mobile soil laboratory (MSL) in Malacañang.
The MSL is a customized 10-wheeler truck possessing state of the art equipment, facility, resources, and safety features, with the capacity to conduct 44 soil chemical, physical, and microbiological parameters.
This will increase the accessibility of soil laboratory services for agricultural stakeholders to guarantee the sustainable use and management of soil resources and strengthen crop productivity.
The project is under the National Soil Health Program of the Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM).
Meanwhile, Gawad Saka is the highest and most prestigious annual recognition of the Department of Agriculture in partnership with local government units.
The award honors the exemplary performance, outstanding contributions and innovative ways of Filipino farmers, fisherfolk, institutions, scientists and researchers in coping with the evolving agricultural sector towards attaining food security, sufficiency and sustainability. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
GMA Network
2 hours ago
- GMA Network
Trump says US will charge 19% tariff on goods from Philippines
The 19% tariff rate was just below the 20% threatened by Trump earlier this month, but above the 17% rate set in April when Trump announced what he called reciprocal tariff rates for dozens of countries. (Photo by Reuters) WASHINGTON —US President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced a new 19% tariff rate for goods from the Philippines after what he called a "beautiful visit" by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to the White House, saying U.S. goods would pay zero tariffs. Trump posted the news on his Truth Social media platform after meeting with Marcos in the Oval Office, where he had signaled a deal could be reached during the visit. "It was a beautiful visit, and we concluded our Trade Deal, whereby The Philippines is going OPEN MARKET with the United States, and ZERO Tariffs. The Philippines will pay a 19% Tariff," Trump said, calling Marcos a "very good and tough negotiator." Trump said the two Pacific allies would also work together militarily but gave no details. Marcos, the first Southeast Asian leader to meet Trump in his second term, told reporters at the start of the meeting that the United States was his country's "strongest, closest, most reliable ally." The 19% tariff rate was just below the 20% threatened by Trump earlier this month, but above the 17% rate set in April when Trump announced what he called reciprocal tariff rates for dozens of countries. It matches the 19% rate announced for Indonesia and bests Vietnam's slightly higher rate of 20%. The United States had a deficit of nearly $5 billion with the Philippines last year on bilateral goods trade of $23.5 billion. Trump said the two countries did "a lot of business" with each other, adding the "very big numbers" in the trade agreement would only grow larger. During the Oval Office event, Trump said he may visit China for a landmark trip "in the not-too-distant future" and noted the Philippines had distanced itself from Beijing after his election last November. "The country was maybe tilting toward China, but we un-tilted it very, very quickly," Trump said. The U.S. president has sought to lower tensions with Beijing in recent weeks after pausing a tit-for-tat tariff war that has upended global trade and supply chains. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Tuesday he would meet with Chinese officials in Sweden next week. Critics warn Trump's tariffs on nearly all foreign goods could boost prices for U.S. consumers, complicating his push for the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates. No comment was immediately available from Marcos, who did not speak to reporters before leaving the White House grounds. Philippine Assistant Foreign Secretary Raquel Solano said last week trade officials have been working with U.S. counterparts seeking to seal a "mutually acceptable and mutually beneficial" deal. Protesters gathered near the White House as Marcos arrived, demanding the Philippine leader address pleas of Filipino Americans and migrant workers who have made multiple requests for support amid U.S. immigration raids. Trump underscored the importance of the U.S.-Philippine military relationship. "They're a very important nation militarily, and we've had some great drills lately," he said. Marcos, who arrived in Washington on Sunday, met with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday. During his trip, he will also meet U.S. business leaders investing in the Philippines. Philippine officials say Marcos planned to stress that Manila must become economically stronger if it is to serve as a truly robust U.S. partner in the Indo-Pacific. He told reporters his country was modernizing its military in response to tensions with Beijing in the South China Sea.—Reuters
GMA Network
4 hours ago
- GMA Network
Trump: Marcos a strong negotiator; US, PH may agree on tariff rate
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and US President Donald Trump met at the White House, reaffirming the 'good relationship' between their countries and saying they were close to finalizing a trade agreement. "We're going to talk about trade today and we are very close to finishing a trade deal, a big trade deal actually," Trump told reporters at the start of his meeting with the Philippine leader. Marcos is the first Southeast Asian leader to meet Trump in his second term. Trump has already struck trade deals with two of Manila's regional partners, Vietnam and Indonesia, but had been driving tough bargains in talks even with close allies Washington needs to keep onside in its strategic rivalry with China. Asked about the discussions on the reciprocal tariffs on imports from the Philippines, which Trump raised to 20 percent from 17 percent, the US leader said, 'So far we're not there because he's negotiating too tough," adding Marcos is a "strong negotiator." 'We'll probably agree to something,' Trump added. The United States had a deficit of nearly $5 billion with the Philippines last year on bilateral goods trade of $23.5 billion. Trump this month raised the threatened "reciprocal" tariffs on Philippine imports to 20% from 17% threatened in April. Trump said the two countries did "a lot of business" with each other, saying he was surprised to see what he called "very big numbers" that would only grow under a trade agreement. Gregory Poling, a Southeast Asia expert at Washington's Center for Strategic and International Studies, said Marcos might be able to do better than Vietnam, with its agreement of a 20% baseline tariff on its goods, and Indonesia at 19%. Trump underscored the importance of the U.S.-Philippine military relationship. "They're a very important nation militarily, and we've had some great drills lately," he said. Marcos, who arrived in Washington on Sunday, went to the Pentagon on Monday for talks with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and later met with Secretary of State Marco Rubio. During his trip, he will also meet U.S. business leaders investing in the Philippines. Philippine officials say Marcos will stress that Manila must become economically stronger if it is to serve as a truly robust U.S. partner in the Indo-Pacific. Philippine Assistant Foreign Secretary Raquel Solano said last week trade officials have been working with U.S. counterparts seeking to seal a "mutually acceptable and mutually beneficial" deal.—Reuters/GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
15 hours ago
- GMA Network
Marcos meets with execs from US semiconductor industry
President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. held a meeting with top executives of the Semiconductor Industry Association during his official visit to the United States. Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez said the semiconductor sector is one of Manila's biggest industries with strong economic ties to Washington. Further, the Philippines is host to more than 500 electronics and semiconductor firms, including major American companies. In November 2023, Marcos said in a meeting with the SIA that the Philippines was ready to work with the group. Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed the US was the country's top export destination in 2024, accounting for 16.6%, or $12.14 billion, of the total export receipts of $73.27 billion. The Philippines' largest export was electronic goods, which made up 53.4% of total exports ($39.09 billion), of which $29.17 billion were semiconductors. Marcos also met with top executives of leading US investment firms, including Cerberus, which serves as an established alternative investment advisor with approximately $65 billion in assets across complementary credit, private equity, and real estate platforms. I Squared, meanwhile, is an independent global infrastructure investor founded in 2012 that is known for the development of investment platforms in infrastructure. KKR & Co., Inc. is another global investment firm investing across private markets in every asset class. —VBL, GMA Integrated News
