FILE PHOTO: President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. INQUIRER FILES
MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has declared July every year as “Philippine Agriculturists’ Month” to increase awareness about the country’s agriculture center.
Marcos issued the order through Proclamation No. 544, signed on May 10. However, a copy of the proclamation was only made public on Tuesday, May 14.
“I, Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution and existing laws, do hereby declare the month of July of every year as ‘Philippine Agriculturists’ Month’,” states Proclamation No. 544.
READ: DA: Agriculture damage due to El Niño hits P6.3 billion
“The celebration of the Philippine Agriculturists’ Month will engage professional agriculturists in agricultural advocacy, policy research, and formulation and provide an avenue for enterprise-building, communications training, and community development,” it also states.
Under Proclamation No. 544, the Department of Agriculture and Professional Regulation Commission, including its Board of Agriculture, shall lead and supervise the annual observance of the Philippine Agriculturists’ Month.
Marcos’ declaration comes as the El Niño phenomenon wreaked havoc on the country’s agricultural sector, with more than P6 billion worth of damage affecting around 60,000 hectares of land.