Statement of Sen. Francis Pangilinan on the appointment of Dar as agriculture secretary
Kiko: New agri chief's focus on raising farmers' income is a great start

We welcome the appointment of Agriculture Secretary William Dar. It comes at a crucial time as rice farmers face tremendous pressure from unlimited imports and coconut and sugar farmers from low world prices to leave food production. Our fishermen are also being driven out of fishing areas that are rightfully and exclusively ours.

If farmers and fishermen leave their work now for wage-secure jobs in construction here or abroad, it would be a surrender of the food security of our children; it would be a surrender of their and our country's future.

We also welcome his eight paradigms to improve the agriculture sector and share in his goal to double farmers' earnings. Philippine agriculture needs a strong advocate and Secretary Dar has the credentials to take up the cause to aggressively address the slow agricultural growth and stagnant incomes of the farmers and fisher folk who remain poorest of the poor.

We will continue to work closely with the Department of Agriculture and Secretary Dar as we pursue these goals, particularly in crafting the IRR of the Sagip Saka Act of 2019 whose thrusts are aligned with the new agriculture chief's goal to achieve food security by focusing on the key players in producing food for us and our children.