The Department of Agriculture (DA) paid tribute to the efforts of its personnel in ensuring food sufficiency in the country as it kicked off its week-long anniversary celebration on Monday.

Senior Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban has recognized officials and employees both in main and regional offices for ensuring the effective delivery of services to the farmers and fisherfolk in support of the directives of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., who concurrently serves as DA secretary.

“Today, I pay tribute to our employees not only in the national but also in the regional (DA offices). Hopefully, in the next 125 years, the future leaders of the DA will see to it that what we are doing today and tomorrow will be the guidepost that we will do in the next 125 years,” Panganiban said in a statement, ahead of the agency’s 125th anniversary on June 23.

Meanwhile, DA Undersecretary for Administration and Finance Agnes Catherine Miranda also recognized the 125 years of dedicated service of the men and women of the department.

“Generations after generations of public servants in this Department were instrumental in building the foundations of a strong, productive, and prosperous Philippine agri-fishery sector,” she said.

Miranda added that despite the many challenges faced by the agency such as natural calamities, plant and animal diseases, complex geopolitical issues, and constraints to fiscal resources, the agency remained committed to serving its clients — the farmers, fisherfolk, and the Filipino people.

She also encouraged the DA employees to be more competent, reliable, and dedicated public servants with a genuine heart to help the sector reach its full potential.

“To our farmers and fisherfolk, rest assured that the Department remains committed to helping you become productive and prosperous as it been in the past 125 years,” Miranda said.

On Monday, other key officials of the DA, including Undersecretary for Fisheries Drusila Esther Bayate, led the ribbon-cutting of the DA anniversary exhibit, which features some of the major accomplishments of the agency under the Marcos administration.

This year’s anniversary celebration of the DA carries the theme “Kagawaran ng Agrikultura: 125 Taong Naglilingkod Tungo sa Masaganang Agrikultura at Maunlad na Ekonomiya”. (PNA)