Dahil sa laki ng problema, Department of Agriculture hahawakan ni Marcos

DAHIL SA laki ng problema ng Department of Agriculture (DA) sinabi ni President Bongbong Marcos na siya umano ang pansamantalang uupo bilang pinuno o secretary ng ahensya.

Si William Dar ang tumatayong Agriculture secretary at sa ilalim ng pamamahala nito ay iba’t-ibang problema ang sinapit ng publiko mula sa kakulangan ng bigas, smuggling ng mga gulay at mataas na presyo ng mga karne.

Sinabi ni Marcos na kailang umanong maihanda at mare-organize ang DA upang tugunan ang nagbabadyang food shortage at taas-presyo sa pagkain sa mga susunod na buwan at taon.

“As to agriculture, I think that the problem is severe enough that I have decided to take on the portfolio of secretary of agriculture at least for now. At least until we can re-organize the DA in the way that will make it ready for the next years to come. We’re going back to basics and trying and we will rebuild the value chain of agriculture,” ani Marcos.

“That is why I thought it is important that the president take that portfolio so that not only to make it clear to everyone what a high priority we put on the agri sector but also as a practical matter so that things move quickly because the events of the global economy are moving very quickly. We have to be able to be agile, we have to be able to respond properly in a measured way as soon as there is a situation that needs to be addressed,” dagdag pg ng Pangulo.

Sinabi ni Marcos na inatasan nito ang Department of Trade and Industry, National Economic and Development Authority, Department of Finance at Department of Budget and Management na magsagawa ng economic forecast sa kahaharapin ng bansa sa nalalabing bahagi ng taon at kung paano ito mapaghandaan.

Ayon kay Marcos, marami sa mga opisina ng DA ang hindi na masyadong nagagamit o kailangan ng ire-tool para sa post-pandemic situation. Target din aniya ng Pangulo na maitaas ang produksyon ng palay lalo at ang pangunahing source ng imported rice natin na Thailand at Vietnam ay nagpatupad ng ban sa pag-export ng bigas. (Kathleen Jean Forbes, Mindanao Examiner)