Another DA official stripped of position

MANILA, Philippines — Department of Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. has replaced Assistant Secretary James Layug as head of the DA office tasked to oversee the campaign against smugglers and hoarders of agricultural products.

Laurel appointed his chief of staff, Alvin John Balagbag, as undersecretary for the DA’s inspectorate and enforcement office.

Layug is now on floating status after he was stripped of his position.

The appointment of Balagbag was part of the revamp of key officials in the department.

Earlier, Laurel designated former Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources director Asis Perez as undersecretary for policy, planning and regulations.

Perez replaced DA Undersecretary Drusila Esther Bayate, who was previously appointed to replace Undersecretary Mercedita Sombilla.

Sombilla is now undersecretary for DA bureaus.

Bayate returned to her previous position as undersecretary for fisheries.

Laurel now has 11 undersecretaries compared to the six undersecretaries when President Marcos was the concurrent agriculture secretary.