By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos | Philippine News Agency
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Friday led the inauguration of the country’s first mobile soil laboratory (MSL) in a ceremony at Malacañan Palace.
In a keynote speech, Marcos said the Department of Agriculture (DA) – Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM) will offer free services in the first year of operation of the MSL.
The President emphasized the crucial role of the first-ever and newly inaugurated MSL in the development of the agriculture sector.
Marcos said the MSL will serve as a “knowledge hub” for farmers, equipping them with new technologies and methods to ensure that the soil is healthy enough to produce “higher and more abundant yields.”
“Sa pamamagitan nito, magkakaroon ng pagkakataon ang ating mga magsasaka na makapagsanay upang mas maunawaan nila ang potensiyal ng kanilang lupa at ibang likas na yaman,” he said.
“Mahalaga rin na ipabatid na ang mga resulta mula sa pagsusuri ng lupa ay matatanggap ng ating mga magsasaka sa loob ng limang araw [mula] sa pagsusumite ng soil sample nila, depende sa pagiging komplikado ng pagsusuri,” Marcos added.
Forming part of the National Soil Health Program and in line with the Administration’s mission to increase soil testing centers, the BSWM established the MSL, a 10-wheel truck with state-of-the-art equipment, resources, and safety features that aim to provide accurate and timely results to agricultural stakeholders.
The MSL is capable of analyzing 44 soil chemical, physical, and microbiological as well as water chemical parameters and will be deployed to far-flung areas to support regional soil laboratories.
Marcos said 16 MSL units would be deployed nationwide.
These will be stationed at the DA-run regional soil laboratories to serve 10 beneficiaries per day.
“Ang araw na ito’y makasaysayan—dahil makasaysayang hakbang na nagbibigay-diin sa kahalagahan ng agrikultura sa ating adhikain na masiguro ang sapat na pagkain, mauunlad na pamayanan, at mas nagkakaisang bayan,” Marcos said.
“Ang tagumpay na ito ay patunay ng ating walang pagod na hangarin na patatagin ang ating ekonomiya sa pamamagitan ng pag-alalay sa ating mga magsasaka,” he added.