BOI gives green lane endorsement to Metro Pacific’s vegetable, dairy farm projects

The One-Stop Action Center for Strategic Investments (OSACSI) of the Philippine Board of Investments (BOI) has granted Green Lane Certificates of Endorsement to two of Metro Pacific’s projects.

These include a vegetable farm project located in Bulacan and a dairy farm project situated in Laguna. The total cost of the projects amounts to Php3.4 billion.

Trade Undersecretary and BOI Managing Head Ceferino Rodolfo awarded the Certificate of Endorsement, under Executive Order (EO) No. 18: Constituting Green Lanes for Strategic Investments, to the officials of Metro Pacific Fresh Farms, Inc. (MPFF) and the Metro Pacific Dairy Farms, Inc. (MPDF) in a brief awarding ceremony at the BOI’s Main Office in Makati City on Nov. 30, 2023.

The MPFF’s Metro Manila Greenhouse Vegetable Production Project will be a state-of-the-art complex of modern greenhouses. The project aims to promote sustainable farming practices and modern farming technology. It is the largest vegetable greenhouse facility in the Philippines, located in San Rafael, Bulacan. The farm is expected to start commercial operation in the 4th quarter of 2024, producing high-quality vegetables.

Agriculture is the largest user of freshwater, accounting for 70% of global usage. By implementing modern farming practices such as Nutrient Film Technique hydroponics and Drip Irrigation systems, MPFF hopes to reduce the agriculture sector’s consumption of natural resources.

MPFF’s sustainable farming project redefines agriculture by discarding conventional farming methods. The initiative aims to make fresh locally sourced organic produce available to Filipinos.

MPDF’s Integrated Dairy Farm Project will manufacture dairy products at a capacity of 30,000 liters per day. The project expands local milk production capacity by 20%, which currently stands at 26.3 million liters.

The project is set to begin its commercial operations in the first quarter of 2025 in Bay, Laguna. Its main objective is to replace imported milk with locally produced high-quality dairy products, which will help boost the country’s self-sufficiency. This initiative will address food security and value chain gaps by offering premium locally-produced products, demonstrating a shift towards efficient local substitutes.

On February 24, the Office of the President approved EO 18, which aims to hasten, simplify, and automate the permit and license application processes for strategic investments. Operating as the sole entry point for these investments, OSACSI will expedite the endorsement of the project’s permit and license procedures, ensuring the swift realization of strategic investments in the country.