Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. has formed a technical working group that will conduct a comprehensive review of the agency’s regulatory policies and undertake corrective measures, if needed.
The agri chief has designated Undersecretary for Policy, Planning and Regulations, Asis Perez, and Undersecretary and Chief of Staff Alvin John Balagbag—both lawyers—as TWG co-chairmen reviewing Department of Agriculture regulations based on Special Order No. 753 issued last May 24, 2024.
Tiu Laurel said the TWG will look into the results of the comprehensive review undertaken by DA regulatory agencies earlier and provide comments and inputs as well as recommend changes, including “the repeal and amendment of conflicting and obsolete regulations, to rationalize the regulatory policies being implemented by the Department.”
The TWG will endorse draft regulations that repeal or amend existing rules to the DA Regulatory Clearinghouse System for further review.
“I created this technical working group to harmonize regulations of various agencies of the DA to promote efficiency, trim red tape, and plug loopholes and clarify ambiguities that could be exploited and abused by unscrupulous individuals,” Tiu Laurel said.
“We expect this review process to eventually foster the faster delivery of services to our stakeholders, ease the conduct of business with the DA as well as facilitate the entry of more investments in agriculture,” he added.
Undersecretary Perez said the TWG will pro-actively review many regulations. The process could take one year to complete.
“Our mandate is to make the DA not just a fair and efficient regulator but, more importantly, an enabler to promote the growth of agriculture,” Undersecretary Perez said.
“There will be priority regulations to review, those that have far-reaching impact on the lives and livelihoods of our stakeholders across the agriculture value chain,” he added.
