Real estate consultant is new NFA chief

MANILA, Philippines – A real estate consultant and a former aide of Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala has been appointed as the new administrator of the National Food Authority (NFA), the main agency that ensures the stability of supply and price of rice. 

Orlan Agbin Calayag, 38, a native of Quezon province, was a former chief of staff of Alcala during the official’s first term in Congress.

President Benigno Aquino III signed his appointment papers on Friday, January 18. Calayag replaces Lito Banayo who resigned from the NFA top post on September 30, 2012 to run for Congress.

NFA is an agency under the Department of Agriculture that is responsible for ensuring the country’s food security. Rice is the Philippines’ stable grain.

Alcala described Calayag as someone who is “a dedicated worker and we share the same vision for the department.”

Calayag is a mortgage professional licensed by the Department of Financial Institution of Washington State in the United States and has work experiences as loan and mortgage consultants in large US companies.

He holds an undergraduate degree in Business Administration from Manuel Enverga University in Lucena City, a real estate professional course from Rockwell Institute in Washington, and is pursuing a master’s degree in Business Administration from De La Salle University in Manila.

Massive palay procurement

The NFA will “embark on a massive palay procurement this year,” Calayag told reporters in a chance interview at the DA office after his oath-taking on Monday.

The NFA council is expected to announce in 30 day’s time the palay procurement and importation volume for 2013. The NFA will procure about 6% to 8% of the expected 20 million metric tons (MT) palay production this 2013.

Palay production for 2012 reached 18.03 million MT exceeding the target of 17.98 million MT set by the Bureau of Agriculture Statistics (BAS). – Rappler.com