MacroAsia launches Cavite farm project, starts Poro Point desalination operations

MACROASIA CORP. said its unit MacroAsia New Ventures, Inc. (MNVI) has launched an agricultural production project in Maragondon, Cavite, to support its inflight kitchens and food commissary operations.

In a disclosure on Thursday, MacroAsia said the project will be implemented after formalizing a service agreement with CoGrow Agricultural Services (CoGrow PH).

The initiative will supply a portion of the leafy vegetable requirements of its three kitchens, which support the company’s airline catering and commissary operations, it said.

MacroAsia expects the project to reduce procurement costs, mitigate exposure to price volatility, and lower logistics-related expenses while improving reliability, quality control, and supply predictability.

Land preparation is scheduled for February, planting will follow in April, and the initial harvest is expected by the end of May.

The company said the project will utilize a designated portion of MacroAsia’s property in Cavite, where the Maragondon Water Treatment Plant is also located, enabling productive use of land assets. The farm is projected to produce about 100,000 kilograms of leafy vegetables per year, with output prioritized for internal consumption.

CoGrow PH is a social enterprise that focuses on transforming land for sustainable farm uses. It offers farm consultancy, development, and management services.

MacroAsia’s core businesses include aircraft maintenance, airline catering, ground handling, property development, and water utilities.

In a separate disclosure, MacroAsia said its subsidiary Poro Point Summa Water, Inc. has started the first phase of operations at the Poro Point desalination treatment plant in the Poro Point Freeport Zone in San Fernando, La Union.

The commissioning follows the completion of the facility’s construction and is part of the company’s initiatives to provide essential water infrastructure while supporting special economic zones and industrial developments.

The Poro Point Freeport Zone, administered by the Bases Conversion and Development Authority, previously had no dedicated water utility or pipeline network. With the desalination plant now operational, locators within the zone will have access to potable water, and the facility is expected to improve supply for adjacent areas as well.

The plant is designed with modular features, allowing for future capacity expansion to meet medium- to long-term demand in the economic zone and nearby developments.

Initial water production has been completed, and commercial supply has started with Poro Point Agro-Industrial Development Company, Inc. as the first offtaker.

Poro Point Summa Water is a wholly owned subsidiary of Summa Water Resources, Inc., which is majority-owned by Allied Water Services, Inc., a unit of MacroAsia.

At the local bourse on Thursday, MacroAsia shares closed unchanged at P4.64 apiece. — Ashley Erika O. Jose