Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 5) — The Commission on Appointments (CA) on Tuesday confirmed the ad interim appointment of Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. as the secretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA).
Laurel is the first full-time DA secretary under the current administration, as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. took the helm of the agency for over a year since starting office.
“Makakaasa kayong pananatilihin kong malinis at maayos ang aking panunungkulan bilang kalihim,” Laurel told the CA Committee on Agriculture during its deliberations on his ad interim appointment.
[Translation: You can expect that I will keep my time as secretary clean and orderly.]
Lawmakers highlighted importation and smuggling in the agriculture sector during the panel deliberations as they sought Laurel’s proposed measures to address such issues.
Laurel said he has a new intelligence unit already verifying the names of usual suspects of agricultural smuggling.
“Maybe by the first quarter of next year, we will be moving already,” he said, adding the department is planning to file cases.
Laurel said he intends to implement an “inspection at origin” policy, which “would be at no cost to the government” to try to control what goods enter the country.
He said he would encourage legitimate importers to connect with the government to have “balanced and regular” importation.
Appointed on Nov. 3, Laurel received marching orders to curb rising prices of agricultural commodities and pursue modernization, among others.
The DA secretary is pushing for more accurate agriculture production data as part of his reforms.
His other plans include presenting a new organizational chart of the DA by January and fixing databases on fisherfolk and farmers and other digitalization measures.
Transparency assured?
Sen. Risa Hontiveros asked about the business ties of Laurel, who was president of Frabelle Fishing Corporation before his appointment.
“Paano niyo ma-a-assure ‘yung publiko na ‘yang mga kumpanyang lalo na ‘yung involved sa fishing sector… na ang DA ay hindi magkaroon ng kahit anong impluwensya or preferential treatment?” Hontiveros asked.
[Translation: How can you assure the public that the DA will not be influenced by your companies, especially those involved in the fishing sector, or there will be no preferential treatment?]
Laurel said he has “divested from all 68 companies” since being named Agriculture Secretary last month.
“Transparency is key and basically everybody has to observe the rules especially that I am here now as a public servant…so there should be no special favors for my family’s companies, no accommodation. My family will not allow that,” Laurel said.
