More problems in the agriculture sector can be immediately addressed with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at the helm of the Department of Agriculture, an official said Sunday.
“I think it helps that our President is the head of the DA because the agriculture sector has many needs that will involve other agencies as well,” said DA spokesperson Assistant Secretary Kristine Evangelista.
Evangelista made the statement amid calls by some lawmakers to appoint a full-time agriculture chief.
On Thursday, Mr. Marcos said he is staying as DA Secretary because there are matters that only the President can do, especially on pressing agriculture problems that need to be addressed.
“There are things that a President can do that a Secretary cannot. The problems are so difficult that it will take a President to change and turn it around,” he said.
The President said the problems in the agriculture sector are so “deeply embedded” that it would take a while before these are resolved.
“It’s not that fast, it’s not that easy to bring it back to the good system it was before. So I think I am still needed there,” Mr. Marcos said.
The President said he will appoint someone to replace him once “DA’s functions are properly institutionalized” and “structural changes have been made.”
“When it’s fixed, and the situation is normalized,” he said.
It is for the same reason, Mr. Marcos said, that he has yet to appoint a Health Secretary.
At present, Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire is the Health department’s officer-in-charge.
A PUBLiCUS survey for the third quarter showed 63 percent of respondents approved of Mr. Marcos’ decision to take on the DA portfolio.
On Friday, President Marcos met with the agriculture cluster of the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) to discuss his administration’s priorities, specifically measures to ensure food security in the country.
During the meeting in Malacañang, the President received recommendations from the PSAC on digital farming methods and supply chain improvement strategies that will boost the government’s food security program.
The PSAC also proposed the review of the policies and structure of the National Food Authority (NFA) to enable the agency to operate as a logistics hub and reduce losses for the government.
To improve the income of Filipino farmers, Mr. Marcos, for his part, ordered the acceleration of replanting of coconut trees and distribution of seedlings as well as intercropping for better land use.
The President also issued a directive to control the threat of African Swine Fever, particularly the strict implementation of all measures put in place to control ASF, including the ban on all trucks with pig and pork products from outside Panay region for 60 days.