Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr. has designated lawyer Paz Benavidez II as assistant secretary for policy and regulations. One of the primary tasks of Asec Benavidez will be to head the secretariat of the Department of Agriculture’s oversight panel on the issuance of regulations, a body created in compliance with provisions of the Anti-Red Tape Act.

Prior to lawyer Benavidez’s new assignment, Sec. Tiu Laurel issued Administrative Order 1 which sets guidelines on the conduct of Regulatory Impact Assessment, or RIA, for proposed DA regulations.

Undertaking RIA, according to ARTA, 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.

The administrative order issued by the agri chief also sets up a Regulatory Clearinghouse System to subject draft regulatory policies and guidelines to review. The DA’s Policy Research Service will conduct the initial review before forwarding it to the Assistant Secretary for Policy and Regulations to ensure they are consistent with other regulations.

The Undersecretary for Policy, Planning and Regulations, a role now filled by lawyer and veterinarian Asis Perez, has been designated to exercise oversight functions in the formulation, amendments, or revisions of regulatory policies or issuances to ensure harmonization of DA regulations.

Also appointed by Sec. Tiu Laurel 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, field operations division at RFO IV-A;

Lawyer and director IV Jennilyn Dawayan as regional executive director at RFO Cordillera Administrative Region;

and Vener Dilig as regional technical director for operations at RFO IV-B.###