Re-nationalization of agri services pushed

Senate President Francis Escudero and Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. yesterday agreed to work together for the renationalization of the agriculture sector after many of its services were devolved to the local government units (LGUs).

- BELLA CARIASO and JASPER EMMANUEL ARCALAS

"Earlier, Secretary Laurel and I were discussing if the administration will push for the renationalization of the agriculture services.. so that the DA (Department of Agriculture) will handle all the programs in the agriculture sector," Escudero said during the 25th anniversary of the farmers' group Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Food Inc. (PCAFI) at Club Filipino in San Juan.

He recalled that the programs related to the agriculture sector were devolved after the passage of the Local Government Code of 1991.

"Since I became a congressman in 1998, I have filed a bill to renationalize agriculture. The problem of our agriculture is that it was devolved, including health, under the Local Government Code of 1991," Escudero said.