COTABATO CITY — Mindanaoans on Monday gave newly appointed Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, Jr. their vote of confidence, expecting him to complement their efforts to empower the agriculture and fisheries sectors in the six Bangsamoro provinces in the south.
Two members of the 80-seat Bangsamoro regional parliament, Hadji Nabil A. Tan and Kadil M. Sinolinding, Jr., separately told reporters Monday that they look forward to Mr. Laurel’s capability to help strengthen agro-fisheries in the region.
The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao’s (BARMM) regional planners said at least 75 percent of the residents in the six BARMM provinces, Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, rely mainly on farming and fishing to generate income needed to sustain their families.
A bill for agricultural modernization was recently filed before the Bangsamoro parliament.
Governors Jim H. Salliman of Basilan, Mamintal A. Adiong, Jr. of Lanao del Sur, and Emmylou T. Mendoza of Cotabato also expressed confidence in the President’s choice as Agriculture chief and vowed for Mr. Laurel’s leadership.
“I know Secretary Laurel will reach out to the farming and fishery sectors in my province, where we have thousands of constituents engaged in daily fishing activities in Lake Lanao and in propagation of short-term crops as means of livelihood,” Mr. Adiong said.
“We are convinced that Secretary Laurel will open widely to Bangsamoro residents the door to his office. While we now have regional autonomy and an agriculture ministry, we still need to remain connected with the central office of the Department of Agriculture,” Mr. Sinolinding said.
“We shall willingly support his leadership in that department,” said Ms. Mendoza, who has jurisdiction over Kidapawan and 17 largely agricultural towns in Region 12. — John Felix M. Unson
