PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced on Friday the appointment of businessman Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. as secretary of the Department of Agriculture, a position that was held by the chief executive for over a year.
With Laurel beside him, Marcos told reporters in Malacañang that he expects the new DA chief to help address rising prices of agricultural commodities, take measures to mitigate the effects of climate change, and increase productivity in the agriculture and fishery sectors.
Laurel said he would meet with DA executives to get their cooperation in fulfilling the department’s objectives.
“Ang pagtingin natin sa ating private sector ay partner sa lahat ng mga ating gagawin. Kaya naman ang pagpasok ni Secretary Laurel sa kanyang position na Department of Agriculture Secretary ay para na natin sinama dahil matagal na siya sa industriya ng fisheries,” Marcos said.
“Nagsimula siya sa pangingisda ngunit ‘yung mga iba’t ibang panig ng agrikultura ay napasukan na niya kaya’t nauunawaan niya, hindi lamang kung ano ‘yung problema kung hindi ang mga solusyon sa problemang ‘yun,” he added.
The new DA chief is the former president of the Frabelle Fishing Corp. from 1985 to October 31, 2023 and a member of the agriculture sector group of the Private Sector Advisory Council (FSAC) formed by Marcos.
He also held positions in various companies including president of the Frabelle Shipyard Corp.; chairman of the Westpac Meat Processing Corp.; director of Frabelle Properties Corp. and president of the Markham Resources Corp.
Laurel is also the former chairman of the Diamond Export Corp.; president of the Bacoor Seafront Development Corp. and chairman/president of Bukidnon Hydro Energy Corp. as well chairman of the World Tuna Purse Seine Organization.
“We hope that he’ll live up to the expectations and directives of the President in supporting local production, boosting the local agri industries; and that importation is only last resort and not the principal policy,” Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) executive director Jayson Cainglet said in a statement.
“We are also hoping to hear a firm commitment from the new DA secretary, that he will reject, much more to support, all proposals to reduce tariffs on all agricultural commodities. The challenges in the agri front are daunting but can we win by supporting and strengthening the local agriculture sector,” he added.
Tugon Kabuhayan convenor Asis Perez said Laurel “is very competent and familiar with realities and challenges of production, post harvest, and marketing.”
“We express the hope that he will listen closely to and act promptly on the concerns particularly of small farmers, municipal fishers and other disadvantaged members of the agricultural sector,” the Federation of Free Farmers (FFF) said.
