Former DA chief Manny Piñol takes oath as new MinDA chair

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Emmanuel “Manny” Piñol, who was appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte as the new Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) chairperson earlier this month, took his oath on Wednesday, August 14.

He was sworn in by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea.

“Today, I took my oath to serve as the new Chairman of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), a Cabinet portfolio which carries the rank of Secretary,” Piñol said in his Facebook post.

The former Agriculture secretary said in his new post, which he will serve for six years, he would have to “multi-task” on agriculture, trade and commerce, international relations, and security concerns. He will also serve as the government’s representative to the Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines East Asia Growth Area Regional Grouping.

“My added task is to serve as President Rody Duterte’s “Point Person” to the newly-formed Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM),” he said.

“This will also bring me closer to my family and, of course, my farm,” he added.

To recall, it was in June when Piñol submitted his courtesy resignation to the President and asked the latter to re-assign him in an agency where he can be “effective” like in MinDA.

In his speech in July, Duterte said he needed someone like Piñol who can help speed up the development of Mindanao.

“There seems to be a lag na nakikita ko (that I see), there’s not much activity in really trying to devolve all — all powers of the national government relevant to the existence of BARMM,” the President said.

“I am not saying that they are not moving. But they are so slow that I would need a point man there in the likes of Secretary Piñol,” he continued.

[READ: Duterte confirms Piñol is leaving DA]

Piñol assured to “work just as hard” as when he was the Agriculture chief. He then thanked the stakeholders of the Agriculture department for their supports and asked for their understanding, explaining that his decision to leave his post as their head was in their “best interest.”

Former Agriculture chief William Dar was chosen to be the acting secretary of the DA.