Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 6)— President Rodrigo Duterte has appointed former Agriculture chief Manny Piñol as chairman of the Mindanao Development Authority.
Piñol, who shared a copy of his appointment paper Monday on his Facebook page, will serve a term of six years.
As the new presidential “pointman” for the region, Piñol will focus on the agricultural and economic growth in the South, particularly on the development of the newly-established Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
RELATED: BTA chief Murad agrees to Piñol’s assignment as Bangsamoro region ‘pointman’ – Duterte
He will also handle the country’s participation in the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-the Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area, a sub-regional group within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to promote economic ties among neighbors.
As he bids farewell to the Agriculture Department, Piñol also apologized to farmers and fishermen “who may not have been served well enough.”
“I thank everybody who supported me and I offer my apologies to the farmers and fishermen who may not have been served well enough,” Piñol wrote on his social media page. “Pasensya na po sa mga pagkukulang ko (I am sorry for my shortcomings).”
Malacañang on Monday confirmed the appointment of William Dar as new Agriculture Secretary. Dar also served as chief of the agency during the term of President Joseph “Erap” Estrada.
