Manila, June 27 -- The Department of Agriculture (DA) said Friday the newly upgraded Biological Control Agent (BioCon) Facility and Tissue Culture Laboratory in Laguna are vital to enhancing the country's agricultural productivity.

The two facilities, worth PHP6 million, were inaugurated at the Los Banos National Crop Research, Development, and Production Support Center by the DA and the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI).

In a statement, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. cited the importance of such facilities in helping address the effects of climate change.

"The Tissue Culture Laboratory will ensure a steady supply of high-quality, disease-free planting materials," he said.

Complementary to healthy planting materials, the ...