The Department of Agriculture has continued its reorganization with the recent appointment of two undersecretaries, as well as, a board member of the Philippine Coconut Industry.

On Monday, the DA said that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has approved the appointment of several officials of the agency, including the installation of Engr. Christopher Morales as DA’s undersecretary for the National Rice Program, and Cheryl Marie Natividad-Caballero as undersecretary for High-Value Crops.

Before his designation, Morales served as an assistant secretary of the Department of Tourism and director of DA’s disaster risk reduction and management operations center. He also served in other DA offices, including the Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service, the Philippine Rural Development Project, the Field Operations Service, and the Policy and Planning Office.

Morales is an agricultural engineer product of the University of the Philippines (UP) Los Banos and holds a master’s degree in development studies from Erasmus University-Rotterdam in the Netherlands.

Natividad-Caballero, on the other hand, served as DA undersecretary for agri-industrialization and fisheries.

She completed her undergraduate degree of Bachelor of Arts in Philippine Studies, majoring in Sociology and Psychology, from UP Diliman, where she also earned a master’s degree in technology management.

According to DA, Natividad-Caballero also served as an adviser and consultant to various agricultural projects, including the Department of Tourism’s National Farm Tourism Strategic Plan, the special committee on the North Luzon Growth Quadrangle, and PhilRice.

Meanwhile, Dexter Respicio Buted, former president of Pangasinan State University, was appointed to the board of PCA.

Meantime, Ateneo de Manila University graduate Joseph Rudolph Chan Lo will be serving as director IV and will assist the Secretary on various concerns.

Appointed also by Marcos to DA were Telma Cueva Tolentino as assistant secretary for finance, Constante de Jesus Palabrica as assistant secretary, Ernesto Celosa Enriquez as director IV for Internal Audit Service, Larry del Rosario Lacson as director IV, and Abbey Charles Fabian Gawaran, director III, DA regional technical director for Region XI.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. has also designated Jerome Oliveros as undersecretary for special concerns and official development assistance, and DA spokesman Asec. Arnel de Mesa as Oliveros’ deputy.

As undersecretary for Special Concerns and for ODA, Oliveros will be responsible for overseeing the development and implementation of agricultural policies and projects for the benefit of the disadvantaged, such as cultural community groups, children, and persons with disabilities, as well as identifying and coordinating project proposals for possible foreign aid, grants, or loans, except for three ongoing World Bank-assisted projects.

“The three WB-assisted projects are the Philippine Rural Development Project Additional Financing System 2 and Scale-up, Mindanao Inclusive Agricultural Development Project, and the Philippine Fisheries and Coastal Resiliency Project. These projects were left under the supervision of the DA undersecretary for operations,” said the DA.

De Mesa shall provide technical and administrative support to Oliveros for both ODA and other Special Concerns.