Pangilinan says he was appointed to help Agriculture Secretary Alcala

Newly appointed Presidential Assistant for Food Security and Agricultural Modernization (PAFSAM) Secretary Francis ‘Kiko’ Pangilinan. Photo from Pangilinan’s Facebook account.

MANILA (PNA) — Newly appointed Presidential Assistant for Food Security and Agricultural Modernization (PAFSAM) Secretary Francis Pangilinan said Tuesday his appointment is aimed at helping Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala in addressing the numerous problems in the agricultural sector.

Alcala remains to be the primary person responsible for food and agriculture, Pangilinan noted.

“Ako ay pumapasok lamang bilang taga-suporta, dagdag na suporta at tulong sa ilang mga problema ng ahensya, problema ng sector,” he said.

Pangilinan said his appointment is to fast-track agricultural modernization during the last two years of the Aquino administration.

“So (itong) pagpasok po natin ay upang suportahan at tulungan ang ating Kalihim para ang mga layunin ng ating administrasyon at ng ating Pangulo ay matugunan sa nalalabing dalawang taon (So, this new task is to support and help our secretary so that the objectives of the administration and our president will come to reality in his remaining two years),” he said.

“Maliwanag na dalawang taon na lamang, ano, at maliwanag na marami pang mga problema na kinakailangang lutasin. Kung kaya’t mahalaga na magtulungan upang ang mga programang hindi pa naipapatupad ay maaari nating bigyang diin (It is clear that we only have two years left and it’s clear that we have a lot of problems to solve. So, it’s important that we help each other out so that the programs that haven’t been implemented yet will be given priority),” he added. (PNA) LGI/PCOO/UTB