Evasco removed from NFA council

FILE: Cabinet Secretary Leoncio “Jun” Evasco was removed from the National Food Authority (NFA) Council as chairman, Malacañang announced on Tuesday, April 17. (Photo By Ace Morandante (Presidential Communications Operations Office, Office of the President) – Google+ profile of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (original here), Public Domain)

Cabinet Secretary Leoncio “Jun” Evasco was removed from the National Food Authority (NFA) Council as chairman, Malacañang announced on Tuesday, April 17.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. said this decision was made during the NFA Council meeting in the Palace yesterday, April 16, where President Rodrigo Duterte transferred the supervision of agencies, including the NFA, under the Department of Agriculture (DA).

“Because the NFA is now under the Department of Agriculture anew, Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco Jr. will no longer be part of the NFA Council,” Roque said.

Evasco used to lead the NFA Council, an 18-member policy-making body of the NFA.

In a statement, Evasco wholeheartedly accepted the President’s decision and thanked him for the opportunity to supervise the council for the past one and a half year.

“I have full respect with the decision of the President given the encompassing nature and impact of the National Food Authority on the Filipino People and the farmers,” he said.

“We have put in place several policy guidelines that have provided a more Transparent, Competitive, Inclusive and Accountable system of procurement and distribution of NFA rice as a result of more than 20 Council Meetings since my designation by the President as NFA Council Chair,” he added.

Evasco hopes that the next chair of the NFA council, which is reportedly Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol, will continue the reforms in the agency to prevent a repeat of the corruption and debt-ridden practices of the previous administrations.

“At this critical juncture, today is the best time for NFA to move towards being a true partner of the farmer in delivering better quality services, a true partner of the Filipino poor consumers in providing affordable and quality rice to the public and a true partner of the nation in ensuring food security for rice especially during the periods of calamities and disasters,” he noted.

While not disclosing the reason why he was removed, the former chair said that he can “never break the good relationship” he has with Duterte. He added that he has never been investigated nor accused of any misdealing.

Evasco’s removal from the council came after a strained relationship between him and NFA administrator Jason Aquino. The two have since butt heads when Evasco blamed the NFA of causing panic over low cheap rice supply.

The former NFA Council chair earlier revealed that the NFA was creating an “artificial” rice shortage, saying that it might encourage traders to “manipulate the presence of rice in the market.”