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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Koko on who should be full-time DA chief: 'Medyo bata-bata at pamilyar sa agri'

Koko on who should be full-time DA chief: 'Medyo bata-bata at pamilyar sa agri'

Published Jun 24, 2023 11:21 am
Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel Jr. (MANILA BULLETIN)

The performance of President Ferdinand ‘’Bonging’’ Marcos Jr. in the agriculture sector has slipped, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III claimed on Saturday, June 24. ‘'Sana talagang maka-appoint na ng secretary na full-time para matulungan sya (The President should appoint a full-time secretary who could help him),’’ Pimentel said, referring to Marcos' concurrent post as Department of Agriculture (DA) secretary. After announcing the new heads of the Department of National Defense (DND) and Department of Health (DOH) earlier this month, President Marcos said he planned on holding on to the DA post. ‘’Ang problema ng tao ay about agri talaga, pagkain, livelihood. Karamihan agri-based pa kaya dapat focus tayo dyan (The problem of the people is really agriculture, food and livelihood. The focus should be on agriculture),’’ Pimentel pointed out. The Senate chief fiscalizer cited the controversial importation of over 400,000 metric tons (MTs) of sugar without the necessary approval of the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) as a sticking point. ‘'Pero kailangan na niya ng full-time dyan na medyo bata-bata at pamilyar din sa issue ng agri although mahirap din kasi sobrang lawak (There is a need for a full-time DA secretary because the sphere of the DA is too wide),’’  he pointed out. Being in the Senate Minority bloc, Pimentel said he would not make any recommendation on who should have full rein at the DA. Pimentel said he would not attend the President's State of the Nation Address (SONA) at the Batasang Pambansa on July 24 ‘’hanggat di nare-realize ang reforms (not until the reforms have been realized).’’ ’Bigyan ko na lang siya ng free hand dyan at ako ay makikinig at magre-react na lang (I will give him a free hand and I will just listen and react),’’ he added. Pimentel said he might deliver a ‘’Contra-SONA’’ in the Senate if the facts presented are far from the truth. The SONA should be close to the ground, whether or not the people benefit from any increase in the Gross National Product (GDP), he emphasized. ‘’I hope yung SONA go beyond percentages, ecometrics na di naman nararamdaman sa ground (I hope the SONA goes beyond percentages, econometrics that people on the ground don't feel anyway),’’ he added.

Related Tags

State of the Nation Address Sen. Koko Pimentel Department of Agriculture (DA)
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