Marcos Jr. pledges farm machinery, irrigation in SONA

During his third State of the Nation Address on July 22, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. emphasized the government's commitment to boosting agricultural production by distributing over 9,300 pieces of farm machinery and irrigating nearly 45,000 hectares of new land.

He also highlighted plans to revive irrigation for about 38,000 hectares of existing farmland and complete the Malitubog-Maridagao Irrigation Project Stage II in Cotabato, which will benefit around 10,000 hectares of land.

Additionally, he mentioned constructing over 1,200 kilometers of farm-to-market roads to enhance connectivity for farmers.

However, critics argue that these measures may not sufficiently uplift the poorest sectors such as farmers and fisherfolk who continue to struggle with poverty despite government support.