By Brian Campued
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Wednesday broke ground on the country’s first large-scale agricultural machinery factory, underscoring the administration’s commitment to boost farmers’ productivity through locally assembled and manufactured mechanization.
During the ceremonial groundbreaking of the Korea Agricultural Machinery Industry Complex (KAMIC) in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija, the President emphasized the importance of designing farm machinery with the welfare of Filipino farmers in mind.
Established through a memorandum of understanding between the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Korea Agricultural Machinery Industry Cooperative (KAMICO), the KAMIC is the first facility in the Philippines dedicated to the assembly and manufacture of agricultural machinery, such as tractors, harvesters, cultivators, and seeders, to meet local farming conditions.
The facility will be built on a 20-hectare property owned by the local government in Barangay Kalikid Sur beginning in 2026.
“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,” Marcos said.
The President also stressed that KAMIC will play a vital role in modernizing farmers’ operations and easing their labor, ensuring that Filipino farmers will no longer have to wait for the parts of their equipment or pay for overpriced tools.
“No more farmers left behind in farming technology. The importance of mechanization in agriculture cannot be overstressed,” he said.
Marcos assured KAMICO that his administration is committed to promote policies aimed at protecting its investments in the Philippines.
“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,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Chief Executive also led the distribution of agricultural machinery from the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech) and DA-Central Luzon to 44 farmer cooperatives and associations in the region.
Among the equipment distributed were four-wheel drive tractors with implements, mechanical planters, combine harvesters, and hand tractors.
Additionally, hybrid seeds and foliar inputs were distributed to support 22,103 hectares of hybrid rice for the 2025–2026 dry season cropping.
“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,” Marcos said.
“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.”
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