PNoy appoints Pangilinan agriculture, food czar

BY PRINCE GOLEZ
Manila Reporter

MANILA – President Benigno Aquino III has appointed former senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan as Presidential Assistant for Food Security and Agricultural Modernization (PAFSAM).

Pangilinan will coordinate and monitor the policies, programs, projects and activities of the National Convergence Initiative (NCI).

During his last term as senator in 2013, Pangilinan chaired the Senate committee on agriculture and food.

Communications Secretary Sonny Coloma Jr. said Pangilinan will hold the title of Secretary “similar to former senator (Panfilo) Lacson’s appointment.”

“(Pangilinan) will be the President’s point person in giving impetus to the NCI for ensuring long-term food security and sustainability, (and) long term agricultural development,” Coloma added.

NCI’s functions include rationalizing land use policies and strengthening the system of land property rights; promoting sustainable agriculture and preserving the land resource base; and enhancing the investment and opportunity climate for agribusiness.

It also promotes sustainable upland development and forest management, and initiates climate change adaptation and mitigation measures.

Apart from manning the NCI, Pangilinan will also exercise oversight over the National Food Authority (NFA), National Irrigation Administration (NIA), Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), and Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA).

Aquino said Pangilinan will “hasten” and “intensify” government efforts to achieve sustainable food security and intensify targets to modernize agriculture in the country./PN