About the Speaker About the Speaker

H.E. Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. is the 17th and current President of the Philippines. President Marcos has long championed agricultural development throughout his nearly four decades in public service—during his stint as Governor of Ilocos Norte, from 1983 to 1986 and from 1998 to 2007, and as lawmaker, first as the Representative of the Second District of Ilocos Norte from 1992 to 1995 and from 2007 to 2010, and second, as Senator from 2010 to 2016. He also placed greater importance on the support for the establishment and operation of cooperatives that promote better market opportunities to local farmers; the construction of numerous agricultural processing and storage facilities; and a policy environment that encouraged and promoted greater investments in sustainable development and renewable sources of energy. This was instrumental and consequential in attracting big-ticket renewable energy investments to the province. His strong support and active push served as a key driver that led to the development of Southeast Asia’s first wind farm – the Bangui Windmills – establishing the province and the region as a leader and champion for a broader shift to renewable energy and the sustainable use of the country’s natural resources.