Philippine Fisheries Development Authority (PFDA) joins in the celebration of the 125th Founding Anniversary of the Department of Agriculture (DA) with the theme, “Kagawaran ng Agrikultura: 125 Taong Naglilingkod Tungo sa Masaganang Agrikultura at Maunlad na Ekonomiya”, on June 20, 2023, at the DA Gymnasium.
Despite a raging thunderstorm outside the venue, President and concurrent Agriculture Secretary Hon. Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. led the milestone celebration highlighting the DA’s contributions to the continuous development of the agri-fishery sector and in giving support to the farmers and fisherfolk amid the challenges in addressing food and nutrition security.
In his keynote message, the President recognized the officials and employees of the DA and all the attached bureaus and agencies for their lifelong dedication to serving and shaping society into what it is today. President Marcos encouraged everyone to work together to achieve the goals set for the DA in the next few years.
“With your help, we harnessed the transformative potential of the agricultural sector in ensuring food sustainability, generating employment opportunities, and mitigating poverty. Agriculture is and will always be an important contributor to our national economy. In the first quarter of 2023, the sector grew by 2.2%, contributing 9.1% to our gross domestic product,” President Marcos said.
In addition, the President said that the DA will continue to devise interventions to advance our agri-fishery practices, improve the competitiveness of our agri-fishery products, and further boost the income of our farmers and fisherfolk.
“As one Department, let us continue to champion the well-being of our farmers, fisherfolk, and rural communities. Let us promote agricultural productivity and resilience while maintaining environmental stability, and nurture inclusivity and pride in the noble work of feeding our people. We must realize how important the agri sector is to the Philippines, not only to our economy but to every single Filipino,” the President added.
PFDA Acting General Manager Atty. Glen A. Pangapalan and Assistant General Manager Ms. Iris R. de Vera attended the 125th founding year of the Department.
(Mark Angelo N. Perez – Public Information Division with photos from the Department of Agriculture - Philippines Facebook Page)