Speech by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. at the Groundbreaking of the KAMIC and Turnover of the DA Interventions to Central Luzon Farmers

Thank you to Agriculture Secretary, Secretary Kiko Laurel. [Please take your seats.]

Our House Speaker, Speaker of the House of Representatives Bodjie Dy; the other members of the House of Representatives that are here with us today; the Republic of Korea Ambassador, His Excellency Lee Sang-Hwa; Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs Deputy Minister Jung Ho Kim; Korea Agriculture Industry Cooperative Chairman Shin Gil Kim; Cabanatuan City Mayor Myca Vergara; fellow workers in government; distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen.

Good afternoon. Magandang hapon sa inyong lahat, lalong-lalo na sa ating magsasaka dito sa Nueva Ecija. [applause]

And also, good afternoon to our friends who have come to be with us today from South Korea. [applause]

We witness today the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the Korea Agricultural Machinery Industry Complex, or KAMIC.

This is one of the projects that we have long looked forward to, knowing how essential reliable machinery is to our farmers.

We all know of the hardships that come with farming.

Our farmers work tirelessly. They invest their money, time, and effort just to put food on the tables of their countrymen, yet, for many, the income that they receive does not align with the effort that they put into their work.

Machinery for farming makes farming more efficient and profitable. However, the equipment that will make their work easier still has to be bought from outside of the Philippines, from overseas. And even then, many of the tools are not designed for the specific needs of our farmers here in the Philippines.

These struggles deserve solutions that are lasting and within reach. Kagaya ng sabi ng ating butihing mayor, nararamdaman araw-araw at nararamdaman pang-hanap-buhay. That is what we are trying to achieve.

And so today, in the continuing search of these solutions, we unveil one of these solutions.

This complex will be built for Filipino farms tended by our local farmers.

The KAMIC is the first agricultural machinery production complex in the Philippines. Its purpose is to strengthen our capacity to develop and to build farm machinery.

Designed with Filipino farmers in mind, these tools will help increase production, improve crop quality, and ultimately raise the income of our farmers.

Gone are the days when our farmers will have to wait for the parts for their equipment. No more overpriced equipment. No more farmers left behind in farming technology.

The importance of mechanization in agriculture cannot be overstressed. Marami po tayong mga karatig-bansa na kung titingnan ninyo po ay talagang napakataas ng level of mechanization nila. Kaya mas efficient sila. Mas mababa ang production cost, mas mababa ang pagbenta sa ating mga palengke, at sa ganoon mas malaki ang kinikita ng ating mga farmer.

Kaya napakahalaga na makapagbigay tayo ng magagandang gamit, magagandang equipment kagaya nitong nakikita natin. At mas maganda pa kung ito ay ginawa sa Pilipinas dahil unang-una, hindi tayo naghihintay ng piyesa at ‘yung mga tractor na ito kung ano ang hiningi ng ating mga magsasaka – sasabihin nila, “kailangan namin ng harvester,” “‘yung harvester ninyo masyadong malaki, masyadong maliit,” puwede nating ayusin ‘yun.

Kaya parang pinapasadya ang equipment para sa pangangailangan ng ating magsasaka. Kaya napakahalaga nitong araw na ito. Napakahalaga nitong ating ginagawa.

To our Korean partners, thank you for believing that the Philippines is worth investing in. [applause] Thank you for trusting the Filipino farmer and for taking part in our shared progress. Kamsahamnida. [applause]

Our partnership together brings technology and hope to these individuals who nourish and who sustain us.

I assure you that the government will continue to promote policies to protect your investments here in the Philippines.

And aside from the ceremonial groundbreaking of KAMIC, we will also distribute and turn over various equipment and farm inputs from the Department of Agriculture. Iyan pong mga tractor na ating dinaanan. Nandiyan na po naka-assign na sila. Iyong mga beneficiary po na iba’t ibang Irrigators’ Association, mga coop, ay nandiyan na po. Simula pa lang ‘yan.

Among those that we distribute and turn over today: four-wheel drive tractors with implements, mechanical planters – si Sec. Kiko nahingian na ng ano, ano’ng hiningi sa’yo nung isang? [Sec. Laurel: Harvester.] Harvester. Madadagdagan kaagad ng harvester. Kaya with implements, mechanical planter, harvester, hand tractor, hybrid seeds, fertilizers, foliar, and soil ameliorants.

To our farmers, we hope these machines will lighten your load. Never naman mangyari na magiging madali ang pagsasaka. Pero sana mapabilis ang trabaho ninyo at sana naman ay mapagaan ang inyong trabaho para naman magkaroon kayo ng panahon na makasama ang inyong mga mahal sa buhay. Imbes na nandoon kayo sa bukid na nagtatrabaho ay nandiyan kayo kasama ninyo ‘yung inyong pamilya.

I truly believe that agriculture is the soul of our economy.

This is why we will continue to advance the agricultural sector with technology and the support that our farmers rightly deserve, suited to the demands of the modern world.

With the help of KAMIC and the hard work of our farmers, I am confident that our nation’s future will be more prosperous. The farmers’ future will be more prosperous. And our kababayans’ future will also be more prosperous. That is how important the work of our farmers is to the rest of the country.

Together, we will build productive fields here in Central Luzon and across the country where every farmer can stand tall and be dignified for the work that he or she does.

That is our continuing dream and that is what we will continue to work for.

Thank you very much.

Mabuhay ang mga magsasakang Pilipino! [applause]

Mabuhay ang Bagong Pilipinas! [applause]

— END —