Kalayaan Hall, Malacañan Palace
December 6, 2024
“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. Sa pagbibigay sa kanila ng makabagong kaalaman at teknolohiya, tinutulungan natin silang maging handa sa hamon ng makabagong panahon,” remarked President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. when he joined the Department of Agriculture (DA) – Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM) in inaugurating the first-ever Mobile Soil Laboratory (MSL) in the country during a ceremony at the Malacañan Palace.
The MSL is a ten-wheeler truck with state-of-the-art equipment, facility, resources and safety features capable of analyzing 44 Soil Chemical, Physical and Microbiological, as well as Water Chemical Parameters. It is established in fulfillment of the Administration’s mission to empower agricultural workers and equip them with modern technology.
“Sa pamamagitan nito, matutulungan ang ating mga magsasaka na masigurong malusog ang kanilang lupa — ang pundasyon ng mas mataas at mas masaganang ani,” the President said in his speech. He added that the MSL also stands as a center of knowledge, serving as a training facility for farmers and all those in the sector to understand the potential of the land they till and of other natural resources.
For its pilot operations, the MSL will be deployed in the Provinces of Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Zambales, Bulacan, Pampanga, Aurora and Bataan. These MSLs are set to stay in each province for two (2) months and accommodate around 10 farmers per day. By the first part of 2025, the BSWM plans to deploy an additional 16 MSLs across the country.
Coinciding with the inauguration is the celebration of World Soil Day. The Chief Executive underscored the significance of this observance in reminding the public of the crucial role of soil — not only in farming but as a foundation of livelihood for all Filipinos.
“Inaatasan ko ang BSWM na manguna sa pagpapalakas ng ating kolektibong aksyon para sa lupa at sa kalikasan. Ang araw na ito ay simbolo ng ating determinasyon — ang ating pagsisikap na buuin ang isang bansa na mas produktibo, mas malusog at mas matatag,” he conveyed.
“Sa pagtahak natin sa landas tungo sa Bagong Pilipinas, patuloy tayong tumutugon sa tawag ng ating mga magsasaka, pangalagaan ang ating kalikasan, at itaguyod ang isang bansang may matatag na pundasyon para sa kaunlaran at kasaganaan,” President Marcos Jr. ended in his speech.
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