US gun maker BADI weighs Subic, Cavite for PH plant

MANILA, Philippines – A Nevada-based firearms manufacturer is moving forward with plans to establish a production facility in the Philippines through a partnership with a local distributor of firearms and ammunition.

In a recent meeting with Philippine authorities, US-based Battle Arms Development Inc. (BADI) and its local partner, Stone of Hope Defense (SOHD), outlined a multi-phase investment plan that would begin with the controlled importation of firearms, followed by local assembly and eventually full-scale manufacturing.

READ: https://business.inquirer.net/594558/armscor-guns-for-2026-recovery-after-bruising-us-tariffs

This planned facility is being considered for either Subic, Zambales or Cavite, according to Board of Investments (BOI) Director Ernesto Delos Reyes Jr.

According to the BOI, the proposed venture “aims to strengthen the country’s defense capabilities, generate employment, and support long-term industrial growth.”

In a message to the Inquirer, Delos Reyes said the BOI is preparing investor guidelines for defense-related activities while BADI and SOHD determine which products will be manufactured locally.

BADI is an arms engineering company that holds more than 65 patents covering lightweight, compact, low recoil and ambidextrous weapon designs.

While it also produces pistols, the company is best known for its ArmaLite-platform firearms. All of its products are currently manufactured in the United States.

Meanwhile, SOHD, the defense arm of diversified firm Stone of Hope Builders & Development Corp., is a licensed distributor of firearms, ammunition, tactical gear and reloading systems.

Its product lineup includes firearms, airguns, ammunition reloading equipment and components, body armor, riot-control equipment and communications devices such as satellite phones.

Delos Reyes said the BOI has been engaging with both companies since 2025. INQ