President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday called for the expansion of seedling nurseries nationwide to bolster the country’s agriculture sector and reduce reliance on imported goods.
Speaking during a Pampanga visit, the President said the government is considering repurposing unused land owned by state Universities and colleges (SUCs) for seedling production.
The proposal was raised earlier this week during a meeting with the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC).
“We discussed with various government agencies and the private sector strategies to increase seedling nurseries across the country… This will help strengthen the cultivation of vegetables and rice, which are essential to meeting local demand,” Mr. Marcos said.
During the same event, he distributed 30 Certificates of Land Ownership (CLOAs) and 2,939 Certificates of Condonation with Release of Mortgage (COCROMs) to nearly 2,500 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs).
A total of 2,487 ARBs received COCROMs while 28 others were granted CLOAs as part of the government’s efforts to empower farmers and improve agricultural productivity.