New DA chief starts agency revamp

MANILA, Philippines — Newly appointed Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. has started a reorganization within the Department of Agriculture (DA) with the appointment of his chief of staff.

Laurel signed Special Order 1360 designating lawyer Alvin John Balagbag as new chief of staff and head executive assistant, replacing Agriculture Assistant Secretary Rex Estoperez.

Laurel directed all officials and employees of the DA, including its bureaus, attached agencies and corporations and regional field offices to give their full support and cooperation to Balagbag.

At the same time, Laurel also appointed Assistant Secretary Genevieve Velicaria-Guevarra as head of the Kadiwa program previously handled by dismissed assistant secretary Kristine Evangelista.

The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the dismissal of Evangelista from the service and ordered the filing of criminal charges against her in connection with the controversial deal with a farmers’ cooperative during the onion crisis in 2022 where the retail price of the bulbs reached as high as P720 per kilo.

Laurel also issued Special Order 1361 designating Maria Alilia Maghirang as non-resident agriculture attaché to the Republic of Palau, the Federal States of Micronesia and the Republic of Marshall Islands.

Meanwhile, Laurel formally occupied the space previously designated as office of Agriculture Senior Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban located at the second floor of the main building of the DA.

Sources from the DA said that Laurel has already issued a memorandum directing all employees covered by contract of service to start vacating their offices.