PILI, Camarines Sur — Bicolana farmers, most of whole are already senior citizens, welcomed President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. as he visited Camarines Sur to inspect key agricultural projects completed and being implemented by the Department of Agriculture in the province.

President Marcos Jr. led the ceremonial switch-on of the ₱500-million worth Bicol Mega Cold Storage Warehouse in the municipality of Pili with agriculture secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., Camarines Sur governor Luis Raymund 'L-Ray' Villafuerte and other government officials.

According to Secretary Laurel, the cold storage facility is the first completed project in the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) cold storage expansion program and is part of the Marcos Jr. zfminustration's efforts to upgrade the country’s food logistics system under the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act.

"This will close the gap between food production and consumption by combining storage with refrigerated transportation and enhanced logistics, allowing commodities to travel farther and last longer without compromising quality," the agri chief enthused.

Based on specifics, the warehouse has a combined annual capacity exceeding 200,000 tons and features temperature-controlled rooms for pork, beef, poultry, fish, fruits and vegetables, which are all designed to maintain the quality of the produce from farm to market.

The DA also cited that the newly opened facility has been provided with preparation rooms for blast freezing, processing and packaging.

"These would allow food producers to extend the shelf life of commodities, meet market standards and command better prices," Laurel pointed out.

"This facility underscores the commitment of the Marcos administration to cut postharvest losses, raise farmers’ income, stabilize food supply and ensure lasting rural development," he added.

Accordingly, the cold storage facility is expected to serve not only suppliers in the Bicol Region but also those from the Visayas and Mindanao.

For his part, Governor Villafuerte stressed that its opening is crucial as the war in the Middle East has been causing fuel price hikesand higher costs of transporting produce from farm to market.
“This is a game changer for Bicolandia, which has long played a key role in feeding the nation, whether directly through food production or as (a) corridor where agricultural products pass through,” Villafuerte noted.