Department of Agriculture chief at crossroads of career

WASHINGTON – Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap is at the crossroads of his career – he is leaning towards running for Congress in the 3rd district of Bohol but is not yet prepared to make a formal announcement and could instead run for the Senate or go into private business.

“I have options and when the proper time comes I will go to the president and discuss the matter with her and be guided by her,” he said.

“I need to get permission from my boss. Of course I will seek advice from my boss,” he said in Filipino, referring to President Arroyo.

“We will see what doors will be open to me. Right now, until we file our candidacy in November, she expects us to be all hands on deck,” the 43-year-old Yap said.

Nov. 30 is the deadline for the filing of certificates of candidacy for those running in the May 2010 national elections.

Yap said if he runs for elective office, it would likely be for a congressional seat in Bohol where he expects his opponent to be three-term congressman Eladio “Boy” Jala instead of Jala’s son, the incumbent Adam Relson Jala.

Yap said the elder Jala has not yet announced his candidacy “but it’s widely known he’s running and he is already campaigning hard.”

Of course the same could be said of Yap, who admitted he is also learning to speak Bisaya.