DA Assistant Secretary for Agribusiness, Marketing, and Consumer Affairs Atty. Genevieve E. Velicaria-Guevarra (5th from right) and San Marcelino, Zambales Mayor Elvis Soria (4th from left) lead the groundbreaking ceremony for the Agribusiness Incubation (ABI) Center on October 1, 2026, at the DA-Research Outreach Station for Lahar-Laden Areas Development (DA-RSLL) in Barangay Rabanes, San Marcelino, Zambales.
By: Gabriel A. Salvaña
SAN MARCELINO, Zambales — The Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office III (DA-RFO III) has started the construction of an Agribusiness Incubation (ABI) Center that will allow farmers here to process and develop higher-value products from their harvests.
DA-RFO III held the groundbreaking ceremony for the facility on Oct. 1 at the DA-Research Outreach Station for Lahar-Laden Areas Development (DA-RSLL) in Barangay Rabanes.
DA Assistant Secretary for Agribusiness, Marketing and Consumer Affairs Atty. Genevieve E. Velicaria-Guevarra said the center is being established through a partnership between the DA and the Republic of Korea through the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), with local cooperatives also participating in the initiative.
“This is a building where we put value-added products that are here in San Marcelino. Not only the raw products that we will sell, but we will also process them, for example, into chips and other innovative products,” Velicaria-Guevarra said.
She said processing agricultural products could increase their market value, extend their shelf life and provide farmers with additional income.
The DA is providing counterpart funding for the project, which will also provide training, facilities and technology to help farmers and cooperatives improve their processing capabilities.
The project is being implemented from July 2026 until Dec. 31, 2029. Velicaria-Guevarra said the facility could be opened to farmers by the middle of 2027, depending on the completion of the procurement and construction process.
Around 300 farmers are initially expected to benefit from the shared facility.
Velicaria-Guevarra said the center would not be limited to members of participating cooperatives, as farmers from nearby communities may also be able to use the facility.
San Marcelino Mayor Elvis Ragadio Soria said the project would provide much-needed support to farming communities in the municipality, particularly in Barangays San Joaquin and Buawe, where agriculture remains a major source of livelihood.
Soria said the introduction of research and advanced technology could help farmers improve the production and processing of crops such as cassava and sweet potato.
The mayor said the facility could also enable farmers to earn additional income by turning their harvests into processed products instead of selling them solely in raw form.
He thanked the DA and KOICA for supporting the project and urged local farmers to work together to maximize the opportunities that the new facility will provide.
The ABI Center is expected to serve as a shared facility for agricultural processing, product development and innovation, helping farmers move further into the value-adding stage of the agribusiness chain.