MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday said the quality of soil in the Philippines was “under threat” and warned that “more serious consequences” could happen if the country failed to address the issue.

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About 75 percent of the Philippines' “total crop land is vulnerable to erosion in various degrees, with agriculture losing about 457 million tons of soil annually,” Marcos Jr. said during the first National Soil Health Summit, citing data from the environment department.

“The conversion of lands for settlements and the loss of about 47 hectares of forest cover every year contribute significantly to the soil degradation,” Marcos said.

The improper use of fertilizers and pesticides makes matters worse by polluting or acidifying the soil, he said.

Degraded soil in the Philippines is pegged between 11 and 13 million hectares, while another 2.2 million hectares of land in the agricultural country “suffer from insufficient soil fertility,” the President said.

“Our soil is under threat and to continue to neglect this vital agricultural component will lead to even worse crisis in the future,” he said.

The government created a 5-point priority plan on land use and soil management to “promote the sustainable use of our soil for the benefit of future generations,” said Marcos Jr., who also heads the Department of Agriculture (DA).

The plan includes crafting a national soil health program, capacitating soil laboratories to yield better data, and implementing sustainable land management.

“This will ensure the proper use and management of soil resources, address land degradation, enhance crop productivity and hence, improve farmers’ income,” Marcos said.

“The administration is also exploring water security for climate-resilient rainwater technologies and the conduct of cloud seeding operation for agriculture,” he said.

Meanwhile, Senate Committee on Agriculture chairperson Cynthia Villar, who was also present in the event, said that she would propose to include funds for additional soil laboratories under the 2024 national budget.

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