Armscor Global Defense Inc., a local maker of guns, firearms and ammunition, said the company is scouting for a site in Luzon for its new facility as it aims to expand its operations.
Gina Angangco, the company’s new president and CEO, said the company’s initial plan to put up a facility in Baras, Rizal is no longer feasible as the area now has more residents.
‘We have plans of really setting up a different location. We’re very crowded here (in Marikina) right now, and there’s no more space for expansion, so we have been eyeing different areas. We’ve looked at it and studied it, and we’ve talked to the owners, and we’re looking at different sites for our expansion program for us may not be possible anymore,’ she said.
Its 7-hectare facility in Marikina houses advanced automated and robotic production lines capable of manufacturing about 250,000 firearms and over 420 million to 560 million rounds of ammunition annually.
Angangco also said current geopolitical tensions have created uncertainties for businesses like Armscor.
‘So many of our projects we have to study very carefully for the appropriate timing,’ she said.
‘Many of the raw materials are difficult to come by because of all the shipping challenges, logistics, and of course many countries want to have their own stockpile to defend their own countries. So, it is really important that we, the Filipinos, start really seriously going on that path to become self-reliant in (firearms).’
Angangco said 2026 is a recovery year for the company which had to lay off some 500 its workers in 2025 due to the uncertainty caused by US President Donald Trump’s tariffs.
She said most of the fired employees have been re-hired and have beefed up its workforce to about 1,000. The company has also received refund for the excess tariffs imposed on the company.
‘Last year, there was the six-month gun ban (because of the elections). Right after the gun ban came the 19-percent tariff rates (on the Philippine exports) to the US.’
That affected the company as more than half of its production are all for export. Today, she said, exports are picking up. She also said the company is not directly affected by the war in the Middle East.
Angangco also said the company was able to secure the Tatak Pinoy seal.
‘With the Tatak Pinoy, nine strategic industries were chosen as priorities of the government, and one of them was the defense manufacturing, which we are part of.’
With the seal, the government will assist the company to scale its operations on a global level.
‘They help us in preparing the venues for expos. They now require government procuring entities to give preference to domestic industries in the past under the Republic Act 9104 the Procurement Act, procuring entities may honor domestic preference,’ she said.
‘So that’s a good thing, because you know when our economy thrives, then everyone benefits from the economic multiplier effect of more funds into our economy.’