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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider CVillar: The next DA secretary should have a heart for the farmer

CVillar: The next DA secretary should have a heart for the farmer

Published Jan 24, 2023 03:09 pm

The heart of the Department of Agriculture (DA) secretary to be appointed by President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. must be for the farmer, Sen. Cynthia Villar said on Tuesday, January 24.

"Maraming expert kaya lang kung walang heart for the farmer, wala rin (There are many experts but if their heart is not for the farmer, the result is nothing)," Villar said in a press briefing.

The President had said that he wants an agriculture expert to take over the DA and not a retired military or police official, given the complexity of the position.

”Agriculture is a very complicated subject," Marcos, who has been the concurrent agriculture secretary since he won the presidency.

Villar, Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food and Agrarian Reform chairperson, conceded that many would try to influence the decision-making process of the DA secretary.

"Mahirap din (It is difficult). Maraming nag-iinfluence sayo to do something not good for the farmers kaya minsan di na rin maka-resist (Many would try to influence the secretary to do something not good for the farmers, that's why sometimes they can’t resist),’’ she explained.

The lady lawmaker revealed that her husband, former Senate President Manuel Villar, had advised her not to make comments on Domingo Panganiban, the current DA Undersecretary.

In 1996, President Fidel V. Ramos appointed Panganiban as the Presidential Assistant for Agriculture. In that same year, he served as Undersecretary for Agriculture until 2001.

Panganiban served as Secretary of Agriculture from 2001 and again from 2005 to 2006. He, then, became the chief of staff of Senator Loren Legarda from 2001 to 2004.

Villar, an ally of the Marcos administration, said she would not even think of recommending any person to the President lest she might be blamed if her nominee becomes a failure.

Related Tags

Department of Agriculture (DA) Cynthia Villar DA SECRETARY Manny Villar
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