Marcos: Stronger supply chain key to boosting local manufacturing

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said Saturday that the government is collaborating with the private sector to develop state-of-the-art manufacturing capabilities that can compete internationally.

Marcos visited the Nuvali Steel Processing Center Inc. at the Laguna Technopark Annex in Biñan City, Laguna, where he inspected the Department of Science and Technology’s (DOST) assistance to the company in adopting Industry 4.0 technologies through the Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP).

Marcos highlighted the facility as an example of state-of-the-art manufacturing in the country, noting that its motorcycle components and other machinery products meet international standards.

“It is government and private sector working hand in hand to help [the] private sector [become] state-of-the-art so that we can compete on an international level,” Marcos said.

“Hindi na tayo kailangang mag-import ng kung anu-anong piyesa. Karamihan ng piyesa, ng motorsiklo, dito na manggagaling. And therefore, the value added stays here. The supply chain is in the Philippines,” he added.

(We no longer need to import various parts. Most of the parts for motorcycles will come from here. Therefore, the value added stays here and the supply chain is in the Philippines.)

Marcos said strengthening the domestic supply chain would help support other players in the industry.

“Pagka matibay ang supply chain, mas malaki ang production, mas maraming trabaho, mas marami tayong magiging produkto na puwedeng gamitin,” he said.

(The stronger the supply chain, the greater the production, the more jobs we will have, and the more products we will be able to use.)

Marcos said the state-of-the-art technology could be applied not only to steel manufacturing but also to other industries, including agriculture.

He cited citrus production as an example of an agricultural sector that could benefit from the technology. — VBL, GMA News