NFA, PCA chiefs resign

MANILA, Philippines - The heads of two attached agencies of the Department of Agriculture (DA) have tendered their resignation amid an expected reorganization in the department after the appointment of former senator Francis Pangilinan as presidential agriculture adviser.

National Food Authority administrator Orlan Calayag, in a resignation letter addressed to President Aquino on May 6, said stepping down from his position would give Pangilinan the leeway to perform his duties.

“With your permission and to allow Secretary Pangilinan greater latitude in performing his mandate, I am tendering my resignation as NFA administrator. I am also relinquishing positions that I hold ex officio. I ask that this resignation be made effective upon the appointment of a replacement,” said Calayag in his letter.

Philippine Coconut Authority (PhilCoA) administrator Euclides Forbes also tendered his resignation last week, which would be effective as soon as his replacement is named.

In his letter to the President dated May 7, Forbes said his resignation would give Pangilinan a “free hand” to perform his duties.

Both Calayag and Forbes were recommended to their respective posts by Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala. Calayag was appointed as NFA chief in January 2013 while Forbes was appointed to PhilCoA in 2010.

The NFA and PhilCoA are two of the four DA attached agencies that were transferred to the Office of the President (OP) under Executive Order 175 issued last week by Aquino following his appointment of Pangilinan as presidential assistant on food security and agricultural modernization (PAFSAM).

Also transferred from DA to the OP were the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) and the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA).

Alcala told The STAR yesterday he is not aware if the heads of the NIA and the FPA would also resign.

NIA administrator Claro Maranan said he would prefer to serve the remainder of his term till June.

“My term is only for one year and would end in June. This may be expedited if I will have a replacement. I will wait for it,” he said, adding, “I believe that during my term, I have accomplished quite a lot.”

Maranan said the agency has been instructed by Alcala to support Pangilinan’s appointment.

“We have been instructed by Secretary Alcala to support Mr. Pangilinan. In NIA, we have done everything we can to improve the irrigation in the country,” he said.

FPA director Norli Gicana could not be reached for comment.

In a telephone interview with The STAR, Alcala lauded the delicadeza displayed by Calayag and Forbes in submitting their courtesy resignations “to give a free hand” to Pangilinan to choose his own people as newly appointed PAFSAM.

“I was the one who put them in these positions and they are the kind of people who do not cling to their posts,” Alcala cited.

Even as he resigned, Calayag assured Malacañang that the NFA is “working for the smooth transition of the leadership” in the agency.

Calayag said Pangilinan would be able to help curb the illegal rice trade in the country.

Among the accomplishments during Calayag’s term was the increase in domestic palay procurement to 5.12 percent of domestic production from the annual average of three percent for the past 25 years as well as the stabilization of rice prices.

In the case of the PhilCoA chief, Forbes’ successor would continue the ongoing rehabilitation of large tracts of coconut trees in areas damaged by Typhoon Yolanda last year, as well as the ongoing program for increasing the population of coconut trees in the country.