Control the rising prices of agricultural commodities.
This was President Marcos' marching order to new Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Francisco Laurel Jr. as he assumed the post vacated by Marcos on Friday, Nov. 3.
"Well, the obvious one is try and gain control of the prices of all the agricultural commodities that are going up at tinatamaan tayo (affecting us)," the President said in a press briefing at the Malacañan Palace.
The rising prices of agricultural goods such as onion and rice was among the factors that compelled Marcos to handle the Agriculture department since he assumed the presidency last year.
"In the immediate term, hindi lang short-term, kung hindi in the immediate term kailangan natin ma-control at tingnan natin kung paano natin gagawin (not only short-term, but also in the immediate term, we need to control it and see how we will do it)," Marcos said.
The President also expects Laurel to provide solutions to the problems faced by farmers and fisherfolk due to climate change.
"[W]ala naman tayong kontrol diyan kaya't kailangan talaga makapag-isip tayo ng mga bagong sistema, mga bagong estratehiya upang ito naman ay mabigyan natin ng solusyon at hindi pahirapan ang taong-bayan (We have no control over that so we really need to come up with a new system, new strategy so that we can provide solution to this to ease the burden of the people)," Marcos said.
He also expects the new DA chief to address animal diseases that hound the agriculture sector such as swine flu and avian flu.
The Chief Executive wants Laurel to come up with longer term solutions on production and cost production mechanization.
Laurel was also asked to look into the methods used by Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam and learn from them.
The new DA secretary said one of the first things he will do is to ask the cooperation of everyone in the department as he needs the team "to be intact."
"I need the team to be intact and buo ang loob para magawa ang —at para ma-meet ang target and goals natin (and be strong hearted to meet our targets and goals)," Laurel said.
READ MORE: Marcos appoints Francisco Tiu Laurel as new Agriculture secretary