With the retirement of Senior Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban last 31 December, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. made slight changes in  the leadership of the Department of Agriculture, to efficiently carry out President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s marching orders to modernize the farm sector and ensure the country's food security.

DA Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa who was designated  full-time spokesperson, said in radio program interview at DZBB said Agriculture chief Secretary Jose Tiu Laurel issued earlier this week a series of special orders reassigning certain key DA officials to better harness their talents and vast experience, as he noted changes in policy will follow towards responses and implementations of programs.

De Mesa said Undersecretary Leocadio Sebastian was named a member of the Secretary's Technical Advisory Group to leverage his deep understanding of the farm sector, particularly rice production.

In February last year, Sebastian was appointed undersecretary for the Rice Industry Development Program, which also allowed him to represent President Marcos Jr., who then concurrently held the agriculture portfolio, in functions such as heading the steering committee of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund Program; sitting in the board of the Philippine Rice Research Institute; participating in the National Food Authority Council; and acting as trustee in the boards of the National Irrigation Administration and the International Rice Research Institute.

De Mesa said Sebastian will have to give up those multiple roles following his appointment as adviser to Secretary Tiu Laurel Jr.

In his stead, Undersecretary Nichols Manalo was named director of the national rice program, a position that he will hold concurrent to his position as director IV and officer-in-charge-director of field operations service, and director of the national corn program.