Sack underperforming execs, DA chief urged
Credit to Author: The Manila Times| Date: Mon, 12 Aug 2019 17:23:29 +0000
FARMERS’ group Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (Sinag) said acting Agriculture Secretary William Dar should replace underperforming officials of the Department of Agriculture (DA) to ensure that programs and initiatives under his leadership are properly implemented.
In an interview over the weekend, Rosendo So, chairman of Sinag, one of the biggest agricultural groups in the country, said Dar needs to hire professionals who can promote agriculture in the country.
So said Sinag is optimistic the agriculture sector can recover under Dar’s term.
The country’s agriculture growth rate averaged 1.1 percent over the last 10 years. In 2018, Philippine agriculture grew by only 0.56 percent, missing the 4-percent target set by the DA.
Earlier, Sinag asked President Duterte to put a new secretary with the “knowledge in agriculture.
“The President’s appointment [of] Secretary Dar is ok, because he really has knowledge in agriculture,” he added.
He said Sinag will be meeting Dar on August 14 to discuss important industry matters, such as the country’s quarantine protocols to prevent the entry of African Swine Fever, low prices of palay (paddy rice) and the utilization of the P10-billion Rice Competitivenes Enhancement Fund (RCEF).
Farm leaders from various groups are expected to attend the meeting, So added.