President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has officially appointed fishing tycoon Francisco Tiu Laurel, Jr., as the country's new Secretary of the Department of Agriculture.

In a press briefing, Marcos told the media that Laurel took the oath of office on Friday.

"We have found somebody who understands very well the problems that agriculture is facing," Marcos said in a Palace briefing.

"The reason for the timing (of his appointment)… is that now we are confident that we have a fair understanding, a good understanding of what needs to be done," Marcos added.

Marcos vouched for Laurel's work ethic and said he knew much about the field, especially fisheries.

He also said that the new DA secretary was a good person because he had "known him since we were boys."

"I have great confidence in appointing him because I know his character," Marcos said.

"I know that he is very hardworking, first and foremost. Second, he understands the agricultural system here in the Philippines very well," he added.

One of the things Marcos told Laurel as his marching order was to figure out how to better deal with the prices of all farm goods since it has been affected by climate change.

Marcos also said that the DA should look into the best farming methods used in nearby countries that can be used in the Philippines.

"We are looking at what our neighboring countries are doing, such as Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam. We might learn from them and apply it here in the Philippines, and that is the first task that our new Secretary will have to take on," Marcos said.

In his speech to the press, Laurel said that farmers and fishermen are "close to his heart" because he has "personally witnessed their hardships and dreams."

He promised that the area would be able to enjoy the results of their hard work while he was in charge.

Laurel currently serves as the President of Frabelle Fishing Corporation, a seafood production company that has been in operation since 1966.

According to the company's official website, Frabelle owns a fleet of over 100 vessels and a continuously expanding workforce of 5,000 employees.

The company is renowned as a leading supplier of fresh, frozen, and processed seafood, catering to markets in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, South Africa, and the United States.

Additionally, Laurel emerged as one of the primary financial backers of Marcos' presidential campaign in 2022, channeling his support through the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP), the political party that endorsed Marcos. Records from the PFP's statement of contributions reveal that Laurel contributed P30 million to the campaign.

In August 2022, Laurel took on a role within the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC), a body formed to provide recommendations and insights to the President on economic matters.

Laurel represents the agriculture sector alongside five other prominent business leaders in PSAC. Notably, he also holds the position of President at the Agusan Power Company.

It's worth mentioning that Laurel earned his computer science degree from the University of Santo Tomas.