Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 3) — After over a year of taking the helm of the Department of Agriculture (DA), President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has turned over leadership of the agency to fishing tycoon Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr.
Marcos announced this in a rare press conference on Friday, where he expressed confidence in Laurel’s capacity to lead the DA given his decades-long experience and connections with experts in the field.
The president also said he has known Laurel “since we were boys.”
Laurel owns Frabelle Fishing Corporation, a deep sea fishing company supplying fresh, frozen, and processed seafood products to domestic and international markets. With his appointment, Laurel already divested his interests from his companies, Presidential Communications Secretary Cheloy Garafil said.
Prior to Laurel’s appointment as DA chief, he was part of the Private Sector Advisory Council’s agriculture group helping the government address food security issues.It is time that we have found somebody who understands very well the problem the agriculture sector is facing,” the chief executive said.Since assuming the presidency, Marcos immediately led the DA amid “deep” issues hounding the sector.The reason that I held on to the position of agriculture secretary, I truly believe, and I was proven right, that there are many things that a president could only do. The problem is so deep that the authority of a president was necessary for us to figure out… Agriculture is much much more complicated than what people understand,” he said.But now, Marcos said he and Laurel have “a fair and good understanding of what it is that needs to be done” to address the problems.
Marching order
Marcos said he wants the DA under Laurel to explore new strategies to cushion the impact of climate change on local farmers.Wala naman tayong control diyan kaya kailangan talaga makapag-isip tayo ng mga bagong sistema,” he said.[Translation: We don’t have control over that so it’s important that we think of a new system.]Aside from this, Laurel is also tasked to curb the rising prices of some agricultural commodities, pursue modernization, and check how neighboring countries manage their agriculture sectors.
DA issues
Laurel’s appointment comes amid rising commodity prices, including agricultural products, as the inflation rate quickened to 6.1% in September.The new Cabinet member also faces issues of rampant agricultural smuggling, which Marcos has blamed for the spike in prices. Recently, the Department of Justice said criminal and administrative cases will be filed against a number of DA officials it linked to smuggling, hoarding, and profiteering.
Marcos previously said he chose to temporarily serve as agriculture chief to help address issues concerning the sector more quickly, including what the DA described as a looming food crisis.
Over the past year, critics repeatedly asked him to appoint a full-time agriculture secretary. However, Marcos said he will only step down from the DA once he’s able to achieve certain goals he has set for the agency, including making sure farmers improve production and get assistance.The president also previously said he wants an agriculture expert to take over the department.Laurel’s ad interim appointment will be submitted to the Commission on Appointments after Congress resumes session on Nov. 6.
Initial reaction
Militant fishers’ group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) earlier raised alarm after reports surfaced that Laurel will take over the agency. The group said Laurel’s company is involved in massive conversion in a form of reclamation of coastal areas and municipal waters.
