MANILA — Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. confirmed Monday that the strategic direction of the Department of Agriculture (DA) will continue as planned, despite the recent integration of new executive members into the department. The announcement aims to assure continuity and focused leadership amidst the department's broad responsibilities.
According to Philippines News Agency, the arrival of two new undersecretaries and two assistant secretaries is pivotal for enhancing the department's operations across various areas. "With the vast scope of the DA, it is essential that someone focuses on each specific area," Laurel stated during an ambush interview. He acknowledged initial challenges such as overlap in duties but expressed confidence in the department's ability to adjust and focus as operations proceed.
The recent appointees include Nora dela Cruz Oliveros and Allan Quimson Umali as undersecretaries, and Daniel Alfonso Nieto Atayde and Philip Chan Young as assistant secretaries. Oliveros will manage the department's finances, while Umali takes on administrative duties. Atayde is set to oversee logistics strategy preparation, and Young will handle export-related tasks.
Laurel emphasized a "whole-of-nation approach" to agriculture, involving various stakeholders from the DA, industry players, and even retired technical staff to ensure comprehensive policy and operational execution. "We invite everybody to join in," he added, highlighting the collaborative effort intended to address the nation's agricultural challenges.
Further detailing the department's strategies, Laurel mentioned ongoing collaboration with the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) to enhance strategic communication and ensure that all department activities are well-coordinated and aligned with national objectives. "I'm still relying on them to counter-check the direction of strategic communication so that everything is solid," he commented.
In response to pressing issues such as food security challenges, food inflation, and the costs associated with production and logistics, the DA has increased the frequency of its strategic communications meetings from quarterly to weekly. This adjustment aims to improve responsiveness and efficiency in addressing local productivity targets and overarching agricultural policies.