The Secretary of Agriculture is in charge of food security in the country. He must see to it that the nation has an ample and available supply of food and that the nation’s local and imported food supplies are safe for public consumption.

“Instead of running after those responsible for the bug-infested rice, Piñol announced to the news media that the weevil-infested rice stocks were actually safe for public consumption.

Likewise, he must prevent price manipulation in the local food market, which often takes place when food distribution cartels and criminal syndicates hoard basic commodities to create artificial shortages. Under the law of supply and demand, the price of a commodity increases when its supply decreases.

He must know that food is a basic human need and that the existing food supply, unless constantly restocked, will always dwindle. He must constantly monitor the food supply and calculate when it is necessary to import food and at what price to do so, always with the public interest in mind.

Food security is a priority concern of the government. The presence of food on the family table cannot depend on an incompetent Agriculture secretary. A hungry stomach, after all, knows no patience.

The incumbent Agriculture secretary, Emmanuel Piñol, is manifestly unsuited for his post. He is incompetent and his ineptitude is as alarming as his very low regard for the intelligence of the average Filipino.

Born in 1953, Piñol is a local politician from Cotabato, where he served as governor from 1998 up to 2007. He ran for reelection twice, in 2010 and in 2013, but lost. President Duterte noticed him when he joined the administration party, the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino.

Piñol’s first year as Agri chief was inconsequential. By 2017, however, his incompetence became noticeable. When the available rice supply was slowly but surely dwindling, he took no action and simply ignored the threat to national food security.

When rice supplies were running out and the price of rice began skyrocketing, Piñol was still in his denial stage. It was only when public opinion was festering on him that Piñol decided to import rice.

Unfortunately, Piñol’s remedial measure was too little — and too late. Commercial rice became very expensive and the initial rice imports had weevils.

Instead of running after those responsible for the bug-infested rice, Piñol announced to the news media that the weevil-infested rice stocks were actually safe for public consumption! He was certain that the public is gullible enough to believe that hogwash.

Fortunately, subsequent rice stocks had less objectionable features, but the new imports cost the government more than their market value. They were to be sold at cost by the National Food Authority (NFA).

When supermarkets expressed their willingness to sell NFA rice to help consumers make ends meet, the NFA came out with a stupid policy of requiring the supermarkets to register and pay certain fees through a tedious bureaucratic process, before being allowed to sell the cheaper NFA rice. It was almost as if the Department of Agriculture under Piñol did not want to sell the cheaper NFA rice!

Piñol is a disgrace to the Duterte administration. The Agriculture secretary reminds many of Frederick Mikhail Farolan, the disgraceful member of the University of the Philippines (UP) Board of Regents appointed by President Duterte, who is looking forward to his reappointment this year.

Farolan has embarrassed Duterte on at least two occasions already.

The first was when Farolan posted on his social media account his threatening remarks at parents and students who were complaining about the delayed release in the results of the UP College Admission Test. In doing so, he also boasted his being an alumnus of the UP College of Law.

Next was during last year’s University Athletic Association of the Philippines basketball competition between UP and Ateneo. Through his social media account, Farolan called on all UP students and alumni to beat up members of the Ateneo basketball team.

Many sectors demanded Farolan’s resignation, but the ambitious UP regent insisted on remaining in power.

Piñol and Farolan are public embarrassments for President Duterte. If they have any self-respect left in themselves, they should resign immediately.