Maraming salamat Secretary Anton Lagdameo for your introduction. [Please take your seats.]

Ang host natin for today at ang creator nitong napakagagandang facility na binubuksan natin ngayon, San Miguel Corporation President and CEO Ramon Ang [applause]; Davao del Sur Governor Yvonne Roña-Cagas[applause]; Hagonoy Municipality Mayor… [Are you also Jess Dureza?] Another Jess Dureza. Iyong aking kaibigan ay ‘yung ama mo. Hindi ko dapat inamin ‘yun [applause]; the officials and employees, the men and women of San Miguel Corp — San Miguel Foods Corporation more specifically; my fellow workers in government; partners from the private sector; other distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen, good morning.

It is… Napapadalas yata ang balik ko dito sa inyo. Pangatlong beses na ako nakabalik dito sa Davao [del] Sur at binibisita ko ‘yung aming kaibigan, ang dating congressman, Congressman Mark Cagas [applause] na naging classmate namin ni Secretary Anton noong kami ay mga congressman.

But the last time I was here was during the 56th Araw ng Digos celebration.

Today, I am here to join all of you for the Inauguration of the World-Class Controlled-Climate Magnolia Poultry Farm here in Hagonoy.

I’m also delighted to lead the unveiling of San Miguel Foods Marker in this facility.

This poultry farm is envisioned to house 28 world class climate-controlled farmhouses to ensure optimal conditions for poultry raising and production.

It is expected to produce up to 80 million chickens annually to address the ever-increasing demand for poultry products in the region and the whole of Mindanao.

This facility is also expected to provide jobs to more than 1,000 Filipinos and [generate] multiple opportunities for our MSMEs, our farmers , their families, as well as other sectors in Hagonoy and the nearby areas.

As I said during my last SONA, investments in infrastructure and in the capacity of our people—whether in agriculture, education, health, or transportation—are crucial in driving our nation and our economy forward.

Of the sectors I have mentioned, we put a high premium on investments in agriculture, as it is the key to combatting hunger and poverty, and achieving our goal of food sufficiency and security across the country.

That is why I’m pleased that this facility is just the first of the 11 planned provincial locations nationwide under San Miguel Foods’ Poultry Megafarm Projects.

Once realized, these will ensure a more stable, sufficient, and cost-competitive supply of chicken as well as bolster the food and nutritional needs of our people.

And that is the very reason why I came all the way here just to come here to Hagonoy to see the facility that San Miguel Foods has put up.

Because I would like — I came here so that we could highlight to other investors around the country and even internationally that there is a way to do this.

We have to also explain to our people. We also have to show them that this is the way forward. This is the way of the future.

And it is something that is not… Iyong sasabihin natin masyadong mahirap ‘yan. Doon lang sa abroad ‘yan, ‘yung mga malalaking lugar. And this goes to show that that’s not necessarily the case. We can definitely do anything that they do abroad, anything that we can see that are advantageous to the food supply. We can adopt here and adjust it to the Philippine conditions.

But again, that for me is the most important part, is that people realize that this is the way forward, we can no longer depend on the informal production of food in the way that we have depended on for very, very long time.

Because the population density, the geopolitical situation right now, which just became a great deal worse. All of these factors come together and that is why we have pushed very, very hard to make sure that in the Philippines, by itself, we are able to feed our people.

And we are showing — this facility such as this are showing the way how to do it. We must industrialized our agriculture.

Of course, we do not prevent the backyard growing and ‘yung pag-aalaga ng baboy, ng manok sa bawat bahay. Hindi naman kinukumpetensiya ‘yan. Iba ang merkado nito. Iba ang market nito dahil ang lalabas dito hindi dadalin sa palengke dahil naka-processed na, dressed na, frozen na.

Hindi masasagasaan ang mga small producers. At ang napag-usapan namin ni Ramon is that dapat talaga — hindi mag-succeed ito kung hindi mo involved ang local community na sasabihin ng local community naglagay sila ng malaking planta rito, mayroon kaming naramdaman, gumanda ang buhay namin, nagkaroon kami ng trabaho. Mayroon kami ngayon ginagawa. May natutunan kami, gagawin namin ngayon doon sa amin.

So, this is it… The engagement with the local community is absolutely important because there is a tendency sometimes pag pinag-uusapan natin ang food supply and food security, nakakalimutan natin ‘yung mga farmers, ‘yung mga broiler, producers. Kailangan maganda rin ang kanilang hanapbuhay.

Hindi sapat na sasabihin natin we have enough supply at saka mura, napakamura ng pagkain sa Pilipinas. Walang kita ‘yung farmer, walang kita ‘yung producer. Hindi naman maaari ‘yan dahil ginagawa natin ito para magkaroon ng hanapbuhay ang ating mga magsasaka and the schemes that the San Miguel Foods has put into place for you to share eventually also bring in as partners, down the road, bring in as partners more of the local community, especially the cooperatives, the farmers’ associations, bring them all together so that they can partake of the advantages of such a plan economically.

For the national government it is important because this is the way forward, this is the way that we… This is what we will have do to industrialize our agricultural sector so that we are able to provide sufficient food for our people at a price that they can afford and allowing the producers, the farmers, ‘yung nag-aalaga ng baboy, nag-aalaga ng manok ay mayroon din silang [pagkakakitaan].

So, that is the balance that we are trying to achieve. This kind of facility goes a long way in achieving that.

So, I thank of course the San Miguel, led by Mr. Ramon Ang, for continuing to expand its operations in the country, for answering the call for investments in our agricultural sector.

You have become a reliable partner of the government through your investments in food, in beverages, infrastructure, and other sectors, which align perfectly with this administration’s socioeconomic agenda. Thank you as well for investing here in Mindanao.

Speaking of which, noong nakikinig ako sa’yo na sabi mo iniisip mong maglagay sa Maguindanao. Palagay ko, magandang maglagay ka, kung hindi Maguindanao pero BARMM province. Para matulungan natin ‘yung BARMM government. Para mayroong hanapbuhay doon. Para mayroon silang food supply doon. [applause] Para lumakas na ‘yung kanilang ekonomiya. That will help the stability in the BARMM region.

So, with your help, we will make this island a bastion, not only of peace and security, but also of progress and food sufficiency in the years ahead.

Rest assured that this government will continue to mitigate the adverse effects of diseases in your sector, particularly against Avian Influenza.

We are starting — mayroon na palang bakuna ang Avian Influenza. So, mag-acquire na tayo ng Avian Influenza vaccine. Iyong swine flu, wala pa. Pina-pilot-pilot pa lang. Hindi pa lumalabas. Hindi pa na-rollout.

Ngunit, ‘yung sa Avian Flu ay mukhang effective na kaya’t tayo — bibili tayo para mabigyan natin at mabawasan ‘yung mga kina-cull dahil tinamaan ng Avian Flu.

Kaya’t lahat ito, we will do this — we will help mitigate problems of disease through appropriate and timely interventions.

I assure, once again, the private sector and our people in Hagonoy and the rest of Mindanao that we still have many initiatives — including big ticket projects in store for the island.

We are currently addressing the imminent threat of the Banana Panama Disease affecting our plantations here by conducting information dissemination on technologies and measures to control their spread.

We are likewise assisting farmers by addressing the need for additional interventions on farm inputs, and machinery, and of course, irrigation.

We are also one with the people in the call for the preservation and conservation of nearby Mt. Apo as we vie for its inclusion in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) list of World Heritage Sites.

And lastly, but not least, the Mindanao Railway Project.

We are working on Phase 1 [or] the Tagum–Davao–Digos Segment of this ambitious endeavor to jumpstart interconnectivity in Mindanao.

Moving forward, rest assured that the government will continue to pursue infrastructure projects and other endeavors that will sustain the socioeconomic growth of the entire island of Mindanao and with that the rest of the country.

Thank you and I hope that we will all continue to work together to build a more prosperous and progressive Philippines, a Philippines that Filipinos deserve.

Mabuhay kayong lahat! Magandang umaga po sa inyo. [applause]

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Watch here: Inauguration of the World-Class Controlled-Climate Magnolia Poultry Farm
Location: Hagonoy, Davao del Sur