Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. formed a technical working group (TWG) to review the DA’s administrative procedures and policies and remove non-tariff barriers to importing agricultural products.

Undersecretary for Policy, Planning, and Regulations, Atty. Asis Perez, will lead the TWG with Assistant Secretary for Policy and Regulations, Atty. Paz J. Benavidez, serving as the vice chairperson.

Based on Special Order No. 768 issued on Thursday, the group shall formulate the Implementing Guidelines for the Implementation of Presidential Administrative Order (PAO) No. 20, Series of 2024, and coordinate with the Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Finance, and Bureau of Customs for its issuance.

Moreover, the TWG is tasked with streamlining procedures and requirements in the licensing of importers, minimizing the processing time of applications for importation, exempting licensed traders from submission of registration requirements, subject to existing laws, rules, and regulations, and facilitating the importation of certain agricultural products beyond the authorized Minimum Access Volume and reducing or removing administrative fees upon consultation with the National Economic and Development Authority Committee on Tariff and Related Matters.

The group's responsibilities also include streamlining procedures and requirements for issuing sanitary and phytosanitary import clearance, as well as taking concrete steps to improve logistics, transport, distribution, and storage of imported agricultural products.

Among the group’s members are Undersecretary for Fisheries Drusila Esther Bayate, Bureau of Plant Industry director Gerald Glenn Panganiban, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources OIC director Isidro Velayo Jr., Sugar Regulatory Administration head Pablo Luis Azcona, and National Food Authority chief Larry Lacson. Atty. Jomila May Fugaban will serve as the group’s secretariat.

Last week, the agri chief also created a TWG tasked with comprehensively reviewing the DA regulatory policies.