(UPDATE) PRESIDENT Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. is confident the Philippines will become the 'leading agricultural resource hub' in the world as his administration stepped up efforts to develop the country's agricultural industry.

In his speech during the opening ceremonies of the Agrilink/Foodlink/Aqualink 2022 at the World Trade Center in Pasay City, the President, who is also the secretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA), stressed that 'the strengthening of the agricultural sector is the strengthening of survival, the strengthening of life.'