Piñol: Hands-on farmer, former journo, politico

Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Pinol delivers his speech during the turn over ceremony at the agency headquarters, Quezon City, July 1, 2016. INQUIRER PHOTO / NINO JESUS ORBETA

THE NEW agriculture secretary was still three weeks away from assuming office when, on June 8, he took part in a transition meeting with current officials at the  Department of Agriculture (DA).

Emerging from the meeting for a joint briefing with the media, Emmanuel F. Piñol clearly had taken charge as the incumbent chief—Proceso Alcala—seemed nondescript beside him.

Piñol wasted no time telling everyone in the jampacked room that he would do better than his predecessor because he was himself a hands-on farmer, being an experienced grower of several crops and raiser of several species of farm animals.

The 63-year-old native of M’lang, Cotabato province, served as governor of the province that used to be called North Cotabato, from 1998 to 2007.

After serving a notch down as vice governor to Jesus Sacdalan, Piñol ran again for governor in 2010 but lost to the current provincial chief executive, Emilou Mendoza. He challenged her again in 2013, but lost for a second time.

The Inquirer reported that Piñol conceded defeat, but—citing the clamor of people who believed in him—later questioned the results of the balloting, particularly in the towns of Carmen and Pikit.

Doctorate degree

According to a biography that Piñol himself supplied, the father of three is pursuing a doctorate degree in rural and economic development at the University of Southern Mindanao.

From the same university, he earned a bachelor’s degree in development communication only 10 years ago, in 2006. In 2008, he earned his master’s degree in science and rural and economic development.

And despite his seat being on the other side of the press briefing table, Piñol considers himself an industry guy. In a list of jobs he has taken over the years, the first is as a newspaper and radio reporter from 1973-1977, although he did not say with what organization.

From 1977 to 1978, he also began to be familiar with DA affairs as a public relations officer of the National Grains Authority, precursor of the National Food Authority.

Then on to a media desk job for a total of 12 years, first as an editor with the state-run Philippine News Agency until 1982 and then as a senior copy editor and sports columnist with Tempo until 1990.

He worked for President Fidel V. Ramos as a “close-in writer” in 1992, then as chair of Cotabato Sugar Mill in 1993.

High expectation

Before Piñol became governor of Cotabato, he served one term as mayor of his hometown from 1995 to 1998. He also described himself as a boxing commentator and writer.

Probably the most vocal in the Duterte Cabinet, Piñol has talked about a slew of proposed programs and plans that he intends to implement soon after he was designated agriculture secretary on May 17.

One is a road map he wants to see done in the first 100 days, mainly to meet the “very high expectation” of those who voted for Rodrigo Duterte, and which he said he developed during a tour of the archipelago that he embarked on and which brought him “to almost all parts of the country.”

On top of the list is an initiative on a nationwide orientation and “mind-setting” initiative for all DA officials and employees.

This is to ensure that the DA people “are guided on the priorities of the Duterte presidency in agriculture and fisheries and [that] the road map for the mission to provide Available and Affordable Food for the Filipinos is clearly explained.”

Piñol has also cued a cash-for-work program for farmers and fishermen who were adversely affected by the El Niño.

Irrigation

Farmers will be tapped to work on the repair and rehabilitation of irrigation facilities while fishers will be engaged in cleaning coastal waters of garbage and planting of mangrove trees.

The list includes:

A nationwide mapping project to determine which crop or agricultural activity would be best in a specific area based on geographic, climatic and soil type conditions.

The conduct of the National Food Consumption Quantification Survey to determine what kind of food and the volume of food commodities consumed by the Filipinos.

Nationwide inspection of irrigation services, dredging of silted dams and provision of shallow tube wells to ensure sufficient supply of water for the next rice planting season.

Provision of seeds, fertilizers, farm inputs—considered as calamity assistance—during the year’s two planting seasons for farmers, and distribution of fishing boats and nets for fishers.

Nationwide face-to-face interaction between the agriculture secretary and the stakeholders in the agriculture and fishery sectors to address their concerns.

Forming teams in coordination with the local government units of the country’s 10 poorest provinces to ensure that the DA’s food production program would also result in poverty alleviation;

Launching of Pagkain Para sa Masa project in Metro Manila, with arroz caldo feeding stations to ensure that the street dwellers and the homeless, who will be trained in growing vegetables in greenhouses.

Launching a community-based milk feeding program in areas where farmers are involved in dairy production;

Directing Philippine Crop insurance Corp. to include in its program the crop insurance farmers in the high-risk areas in the La Niña phenomenon occurs.

Close coordination between the DA and the Bureau of Customs to ensure that the smuggling of agricultural products will stop.