President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines at the turnover of 20,000 tons of urea fertilizer on Friday, June 16, 2023. (Photo from Jean Mangaluz)
MANILA, Philippines — The People’s Republic of China on Friday donated a total of 20,000 metric tons of urea fertilizer to the Philippines, which President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. himself received from Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian.
During a ceremonial turnover event, Marcos thanked China for the urea fertilizer, which is a common type of fertilizer rich with nitrogen.
“On behalf of the Filipino people, let me extend our deepest gratitude and appreciation to the Chinese Government and its people for this donation—a solid gesture of friendship and goodwill that is in keeping with our long and storied history of trade and cultural exchange,” said the President during the ceremony in a National Food Authority (NFA) warehouse in Valenzuela City.
“This donation that came from China is a product of our request from our friends from all over the world,” said Marcos.
According to the President, who also sits as the chief of the Department of Agriculture (DA), the Philippines had difficulty procuring affordable fertilizer.
“This donation that came from China was a product of our request from all our friends around the world during the crisis when fertilizer — well, what we are still feeling now when fertilizer prices went up and the availability was also because of the supply chain problems that we are experiencing with our usual suppliers and China did not think twice and immediately came up,” said Marcos.
China turns over 20,000 tons of fertilizer to the Philippines, contained in a warehouse in Valenzuela City. (Photo from Jean Mangaluz)
The Chinese Ambassador said that “the arrival of the fertilizers speaks for China’s actions and sincerity, and demonstrates China’s friendship to the people of the Philippines”.
Xilian added that fertilizers are crucial to production and feeding the population, and that he hoped that the fertilizers will help Filipino farmers.
The 20,000 ton donation was delivered on June 7 and stored in the Valenzuela warehouse until the ceremony. It was then received by DA Regional Field Offices from Regions 1, 2, 3, 5 and Calabarzon.
The ceremony was also attended by Department of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchalian. Officials from the DA, NFA, Department of Budget and Management, and other agencies also attended the event.
Urea fertilizer Fertilizer prices previously hiked following the Russia-Ukraine war, with the Philippines struggling to secure fertilizer deals with other countries.
