Alcala aide named new NFA chief

 

A former aide of Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala been appointed as the new administrator of state grains agency National Food Authority (NFA), the Cabinet official announced Monday.   Real estate consultant Orlan Agbin Calayag's appointment papers were signed by President Benigno S. Aquino III last Friday, Alcala told reporters. The NFA administrator is a native of Quezon province and was Alcala's chief of staff during his first term in Congress. “He is a dedicated worker and we share the same vision for the department,” he said. Calayag is a mortgage professional licensed by the Department of Financial Institution of Washington State in the US. He has worked as a loan and mortgage consultant in Washington-based companies. The new NFA administrator is currently finishing a master's degree in Business Administration from De La Salle University in Manila. He holds an undergraduate degree in Business Administration from Manuel Enverga University in Lucena City and has completed a real estate professional course from Rockwell Institute in Washington.    In a chance interview at the Department of Agriculture (DA) office in Quezon City after his oath-taking Monday, Calayag said the NFA will “embark on a massive palay procurement this year.” Within a month, the NFA council is expected to announce the palay procurement and importation volume figures for this year. The government expects palay production to reach 20 million metric tons (MT) this year. On Monday, Alcala said between six to eight percent of produced unmilled rice is eyed for procurement by the NFA. The state grains agency procured 356,667 MT of palay in 2012, lower than targeted of 1.2 million MT. — SOA/BM, GMA News