BORACAY ISLAND, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture (DA) is accelerating the development of cold storage infrastructure nationwide, with the rollout of 99 modular and mega cold storage warehouses starting this year, Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said Thursday.

Speaking at the Cold Chain Association of the Philippines (CCAP) annual membership meeting in Malay, Aklan, Tiu Laurel called on the group to support the Marcos administration’s food security agenda, emphasizing that cold storage is key to minimizing post-harvest losses, improving farmer incomes, and ensuring safe, high-quality food reaches Filipino households.

“It is a foundation for transforming the agricultural landscape,” he said, stressing that cold storage infrastructure helps extend shelf life, reduces spoilage, and connects producers more efficiently to consumers.

The DA has allocated ₱3 billion for the construction of cold storage warehouses (CSWs), designed to be scalable, modular, and energy-efficient, especially for deployment in remote agricultural areas.

Planned mega-CSWs will range from 1,700 to over 8,000 pallet positions, supporting key production and distribution hubs. The facilities will feature hybrid energy systems, powered by both the main grid and renewable sources like solar and wind, to ensure sustainable operations.

Complementary infrastructure will include refrigerated vans, dryers, tramlines, packaging equipment, and ice plants, forming part of a comprehensive agri-logistics ecosystem.

Tiu Laurel also pointed to the need for long-term investments in food hubs and agri-fisheries ports to further strengthen supply chains and reduce food waste.

“The development of food hubs and agri-fisheries ports—while more extensive in scope and requiring longer timelines—remains a critical long-term priority,” he added.

The Agriculture Secretary underscored the cold chain’s role in price stability, rural development, and climate resilience, and called on CCAP to lend its technical expertise to help bring the initiative to fruition.

“Your support is vital in turning this strategic infrastructure program into reality,” he said.