San Miguel Corporation’s (SMC) largest shareholder, Ramon See Ang (RSA), bared that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. personally reached out to him and other prominent businessmen in the country to collaborate on the expansion of a poultry megafarm in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Barmm). The aim is to bolster the agriculture sector and enhance food security in the Barmm government.
Ang, in his message during the inauguration of the 11th world-class controlled-climate Magnolia Poultry Farm in Hagonoy, Davao del Sur, Thursday morning, October 12, 2023, clarified that this project was a vision of the President himself during his 2022 presidential campaign.
“Kaya ko po itinayo itong integrated na poultry na ito dahil sa tawag ng mahal natin na pangulo. Sabi niya hindi tayo dapat manatiling mag-import ng baka, baboy, manok, at isda. Ito po mahal na pangulo, nagawa na natin to (I established this integrated poultry farm in response to the call of our dear president. He said we should no longer rely on importing beef, pork, chicken, and fish. We've achieved this, Mr. President)," he said.
He added that they will consider providing Maguindanao opportunities for food security, creating jobs, and stimulating the local economy with the 12th Magnolia Poultry Farm.
On the other hand, Marcos Jr. also underscored that Maguindanao, particularly the Barmm areas, should be the top priority in achieving agricultural stability for the region.
Based on the World Food Program (WFP), one out of 10 households in the Philippines were food insecure. The BARMM, Regions 8 and 12, are the most food-insecure regions, and they belong to the seven poorest regions in the Philippines. DEF