Goodbye, Sir Ed! PHILIPPINES LOSES CHAMPION OF AGRICULTURE MODERNISATION

The country has lost a foremost champion for agricultural and fisheries modernisation this week.

Former Agriculture Secretary and Senate President Ed Angara was one of my ardent supporters when I took the helm of the Agriculture Department in 2016.

He called me by phone when there were issues he wanted to take up with me.

I became very close to Senator Angara when he became Secretary of Agriculture during the administration of President Joseph Estrada. That was during my first term as Governor of North Cotabato.

He supported the reform in agricultural planning which I pushed where I said that the local government units should be allowed to draft their own food security and agriculture master plans to be supported by the Agriculture Department.

This was a shift from the traditional way of delivering programs in agriculture and fisheries where the DA implemented projects without even consulting with local stakeholders.

The country lost a statemesman. I lost a friend and adviser. Philippine Agriculture and Fisheries lost a champion.

My deepest condolences to the Angara family.