Takes oath as MinDa chair
(Eagle News)–Former Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol was “at odds” with the country’s economic managers and “a very powerful political personality.”
Piñol himself said this after he took his oath as the new chair of the Mindanao Development Authority, following his resignation from the Department of Agriculture.
“.. I felt then that I would get nowhere in my dream to serve the farmers and fisherfolks,” Piñol said, as he asked for the understanding of agricultural stakeholders for his decision to leave.
According to Piñol, him leaving the DA was “in the best interest of the Department and the stakeholders.”
He said in any case he would “work just as hard” just as when he was Agriculture secretary.
His “added task,” he said, “is to serve as President Rody Duterte’s ‘Point Person’ to the newly formed Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.”
He said he was also involved in agriculture, trade and commerce, international relations and security concerns, and is the Philippine government’s representative to the Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines East Asia Growth Area Regional Grouping.
“This position has a fixed term of 6 years thus ensuring sustainability of all initiatives beyond the term of the incumbent President,” he said.
“This will also bring me closer to my family and, of course, my farm,” he added.
