The PHP500-million solar-powered cold storage facility in Camarines Sur is all set for opening in December this year, the Department of Agriculture said.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said following an inspection of the ongoing construction of the facility on Saturday, August 23, together with Camarines Sur Governor Luis Raymund Villafuerte.
A major infrastructure of the DA, the storage facility is expected to enhance food security, generate jobs, spur agri-investments, and significantly boost farmers’ incomes in Bicol and nearby regions.
“This mega cold storage facility is scheduled to open in December and will be capable of storing a wide range of agricultural commodities, including vegetables, meat, chicken and fish,” said Secretary Tiu Laurel. “It features a solar power system to help cut electricity costs, a blast freezer, and a processing and packing area to support value-adding services for our farmers.”
Tiu Laurel said the project aligns with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s vision of turning farmers into agri-preneurs who are not only food producers but also key contributors to economic growth through entrepreneurship.
“This is a great step forward in empowering our farmers,” the DA chief added. “It will allow them to preserve their harvest longer, reduce spoilage, and access new markets.”
The cold storage complex will have six massive refrigerated warehouses, each capable of storing approximately 224 tons of agricultural products. With a total capacity exceeding 1,300 tons, the facility is designed to serve not just Camarines Sur, but also other parts of Bicol, the Visayas, and even Mindanao, whose products pass through the province on their way to Metro Manila and other major markets.
Governor Villafuerte praised President Marcos and Secretary Tiu Laurel for the game-changing initiative for local agriculture. “This will help our farmers diversify, add more value to their produce, and ultimately earn more,” he said. “It’s an investment in our farmers—the lifeblood of our country—whose calloused hands bring food to our tables.”
The governor added that the province is working to ensure the facility is completed by December, so that farmers can start benefiting from it early next year.
Tiu Laurel said the Camarines Sur facility is part of a nationwide network of mega and modular cold storage complexes that the DA is rolling out. Other sites set to open starting next year include Taguig City, Cabanatuan City, and the provinces of Occidental Mindoro and Isabela. In addition, over 100 modular cold storage units will be deployed to various farming communities across the country.
“This is how we build a food-secure and farmer-empowered Philippines,” Tiu Laurel said.
