President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s designation of Francisco Laurel Jr. as Secretary of Agriculture has been welcomed by House of Representatives Minority Leader and 4Ps party-list Representative Nonoy Libanan.
“The President’s decision to finally relinquish the post of agriculture secretary is most welcome, as he can now concentrate wholly on his job as chief executive,” Libanan said.
“We would also urge the President to name a new migrant workers secretary right away.”
“We would also urge the President to name a new migrant workers secretary right away, considering that the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas might escalate and put more Filipino workers in harm’s way,” the veteran legislator added.
The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), together with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), should be ready to put contingency plans into action, the seasoned lawmaker said.
The top DMW post became vacant when Susan “Toots” Ople passed away on August 22.
The DMW is currently being run by Hans Leo Cacdac as officer-in-charge.
In a press briefing in Malacañang, Marcos said he had just inaugurated Laurel.
“It is time that we have found somebody who understands very well the problems that agriculture is facing.”
“I have just administered the oath of office for the new secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Francisco Laurel. And, this is because it is time that we have found somebody who understands very well the problems that agriculture is facing,” the President said in the briefing.
Before Laurel, Marcos had held the position of DA Secretary for more than a year since the start of his term.
