IT was in May 2014 when former President Benigno S. Aquino III decided to transfer the supervision of four agencies attached to the Department of Agriculture (DA) to the Office of the President (OP).
Removed from the supervision of the DA were the National Food Authority (NFA), the National Irrigation Administration, Philippine Coconut Authority and the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority. Aside from this, the DA was also removed from the NFA Council (NFAC), considered the highest policy-making body of the food agency.
Aquino issued Executive Order (EO) 165 to authorize the transfer of these agencies to the Office of the President. Citing EO 292, or the Administrative Code of 1987, Aquino said he has the continuing authority to reorganize the administrative structure of the OP, including transferring any agency to the OP from other departments and agencies. The move was made after former Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala faced plunder charges for allegedly benefiting from the pork-barrel scam and for violating election laws. There was also speculation that Aquino was displeased with Alcala for his failure to achieve the rice self-sufficiency goal.
The past two years bore witness to the consequences of the DA’s exclusion from the NFAC. While it is not the only possible reason behind the failure of the NFA to import rice or roll out other that will augment its depleting stockpile last year and this year, it may have played a factor. The DA is responsible for agricultural development and oversees food production. It is not known how often the council consults the DA regarding farm production matters. But the current system is simply inefficient.
It also does not make sense to exclude an agency that should be on top of food production from deciding on matters that would have an impact on farmers. While the NFAC includes, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Nestor A. Espenilla Jr., the exclusion of DA officials from the council is an anomaly that must be corrected soon. This will make it easier for the NFAC to act immediately should the NFA encounter problems related to its stockpile or its procurement program.
The Duterte administration must heed the advice of Party-list Rep. Cecil Chavez of Butil who pushed for inclusion of DA officials in the NFAC. Chavez pointed out that the DA is the agency “perfectly situated” to provide data on the supply side, which the NFAC needs. Also, she noted that the best agricultural economists and statisticians in the country are with the DA.
President Duterte should consider the suggestion of Chavez until Congress is able to restructure the NFA. After Congress converts the quantitative restriction on rice into tariffs this year, lawmakers are expected to tackle changes in the mandate of the NFA. But, until and unless this is done, the NFA would have to grapple with the problems that continue to hound it. In the meantime, the Duterte administration can consider the inclusion of the DA again in the council as a possible measure to help the food agency address its problems in a timely and efficient manner.