Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, Jr., has assigned Atty. Paz Benavidez II as assistant secretary for policy and regulations.

Benavidez will lead the DA’s secretariat oversight panel on the issuance of regulations, a body created in compliance with provisions of the Anti-Red Tape Act.

Before Benavidez’s installation, Laurel issued Administrative Order (AO) 1, which sets guidelines on the conduct of Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) for the agency’s proposed regulations.

As per the Anti-Red Tape Authority, RIA will ensure regulations are subjected to proper consultations and evidence-based analysis before their issuance. “The RIA process is expected to help government agencies, local government units, and other government instrumentalities to pass sound and effective regulations that provide the most benefit to Filipinos.”

In addition, the AO also sets up a regulatory clearinghouse system to draft regulatory policies and guidelines for review. According to the DA, its Policy Research Service will conduct the initial review before forwarding it to the assistant secretary for Policy and Regulations to ensure it is consistent with other regulations.

Meanwhile, Atty. Asis Perez was designated Undersecretary for Policy, Planning, and Regulations.

Also appointed by the agriculture chief were:

Assistant Secretary Noel Padre as assistant secretary for Planning and Project Development; Arthur Dayrit, Ph.D., as regional technical director for operations at the Regional Field Office III; Dr. Irene Adion as officer-in-charge of the Regional Technical Director for Research, Regulations, and Integrated Laboratory Sessions at RFO III; Fidel Libao as regional technical director for operations at RFO IV-A; Celso Olido, Ph.D., as regional technical director for research and regulation at RFO IV-B; Maria Melba Wee as regional technical director for operations at RFO IX; Maria Gemma Genaldo as officer-in-charge of regional technical director for research, regionals, and integrated lab services at RFO IX; Engr. Redeliza Gruezo as officer-in-charge of regional technical director for research and regulations, in concurrent capacity as chief of field operations division at RFO IV-A; lawyer and director IV Jennilyn Dawayan as regional executive director at RFO Cordillera Administrative Region; and Vener Dalig as regional technical director for operations at RFO IV-B.