DA chief to take two-week medical leave
AGRICULTURE Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. addresses members of the Cold Chain Association of the Philippines during their annual meeting in Malay, Aklan, where he urged stronger private sector collaboration to expand the country’s cold storage infrastructure and strengthen food security.
Photo courtesy of Department of Agriculture
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. will go on a two-week medical leave starting Wednesday, 9 July, to undergo a procedure he had postponed for nearly two years, the Department of Agriculture (DA) announced Tuesday.
The department clarified that the secretary’s temporary leave was long overdue.
In his absence, Undersecretary Roger Navarro will serve as officer-in-charge of the DA until Tiu Laurel’s expected return on 24 July, days ahead of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s State of the Nation Address on 28 July.
While the DA did not specify the nature of the medical procedure, it emphasized the importance of disclosing the secretary’s leave “to prevent any speculation” surrounding his absence.
Tiu Laurel assured the public that operations at the agency will remain steady while he is away.
“Even while I’m abroad for my medical leave, I will continue to monitor developments on the ground. Tuloy-tuloy lang ang trabaho,” he said in a brief statement.