Marcos stays as DA chief, to step down only if structural changes made

Metro Manila, October 21 ------ President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. defended his decision to remain as secretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA), saying he will only step down once "structural changes" have been made in the agency.

"The problems are so difficult that it will take a president to change and turn it around," Marcos said in an interview with reporters. The President said it won't be easy to bring back or establish an orderly system, arguing he is "still needed there." "When the DA's functions are properly institutionalized and the structural changes that we need to make in the DA have been made and the appointments in the DA have already been made then saka ako bibitaw, because then they don't need me anymore," he explained. Several groups and netizens have previously urged Marcos to appoint a "full-time" DA chief as issues concerning the sector have piled up in the early days of his administration.

Meanwhile, when asked about his pending appointment of a Health Secretary, Marcos replied: "The same as DA na maayos na, normalized na." He also said, referring to the matter, that the country would have to move away from its "emergency stance" amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Source: cnnphilippines.com