NEDA chief as next DA secretary? Balisacan says there's no offer

Secretary Arsenio Balisacan of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) has not been offered the post of Secretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA) currently held by President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.

“No, there is no such offer,” Balisacan told reporters late Monday night when asked about the matter at the sidelines of the deliberations on the proposed P5.768 trillion budget for 2024 in the House of Representatives.

“Not at all,” Balisacan added when asked if it has been discussed during Cabinet meetings.

Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno earlier said that having Balisacan as DA Secretary is a "sound proposal."

As DA chief, Marcos has placed a price cap on rice at P41 per kilo for regular milled rice and P45 per kilo for well-milled rice, amid rising prices of the staple.

In addition, the National Food Authority Council also chaired by Marcos had set the buying price at P19-P23 per kilo for dry palay and P16-P19 per kilo for wet palay at the farm gate level to increase the farmers’ income. —VAL, GMA Integrated News