Businessman Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. was sworn-in Friday by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as new agriculture secretary, confident that Laurel’s affinity with the sector will help him rally farmers and fisherfolks to make the country food secure.
President Marcos said he had to delay Laurel’s appointment for several weeks because some problems of the sector, including soaring rice prices, require him to wield the vast powers of the office of the president.
“I’ve known him (Laurel) since we were boys,” said President Marcos, “He is a hard worker….and I know he will do a good job.”
The president said his marching order to Agriculture Secretary Laurel includes reining in the prices of all agricultural commodities, make the sector resilient to climate change even as the department pushes the modernization of agriculture.
Laurel thanked President Marcos for giving him the opportunity to work with farmers and fisherfolks, the backbone of the Philippine economy that needs extensive help from the government to reduce poverty and produce more food to preserve billions of dollars now used for import farm products.
“Our farmers and fisherfolks are close to my heart because I have personally witnessed their struggles, aspirations, and dreams. The doors to my office will always be left open for them, they are always welcome,” said Laurel, who had to quit the university to raise a family, worked up his way through the family’s fishing business and build it to become one of the largest in the country.
With his appointment as agriculture chief, however, Laurel had to divest himself of interests in Frabelle Group of Companies, the family corporation he worked hard to build to a conglomerate that includes deep-sea fishing, aquaculture, canning, food manufacturing and processing, food importation and trading, cold storage, shipyard operations, wharf development, real estate development, and power generation.
Laurel said he has rolled up his sleeves and is ready to dive into work, with the goal of ensuring sufficient supply of good quality and decently-priced food available on every Filipino table. “The key here is modernizing agriculture while ensuring the welfare of our farmers and fisherfolks are looked after,” said Laurel. “We will make sure that they will reap the fruit of their hard work and perseverance,” he said.
Agriculture statistics showed over 10 million farmers and fisherfolks live below the poverty line, majority of them approaching their senior years, signaling a potential food crisis unless the youth are enticed to go into agriculture. Labor data in August this year showed that the sector employed around 11.8 million, or one in every four working Filipinos.
Laurel said by modernizing agriculture, the sector could create more job opportunities, spur more investments, and produce more food that would reduce reliance on imports, particularly rice.
In 2022 alone, the Philippines imported USD19.3 billion of farm products and exported the equivalent of USD7.5 billion, resulting in a trade deficit of $11.8 billion—funds that could go a long way in upgrading the sector, building more infrastructure, and funding other businesses.
“I am ready to listen and work with you. More importantly, I am ready to work for you. I firmly believe that together we can succeed in making agriculture a strong pillar of our economy. But I cannot do this on my own, I need you cooperation and helping hand my fellow Filipinos,” Laurel said.
Laurel said he will speak to the Department of Agriculture family and seek their cooperation and courage in what he plans to do to achieve President Marcos’ marching orders.
