NEW DA CARAGA CHIEF. Regional Executive Director Ricardo Onate Jr. assumes as the new chief of the Department of Agriculture in Caraga Region on Tuesday (Nov. 2, 2021). Onate vowed to strengthen collaborations with the local government units and other stakeholders to further boost the programs and services of the agency in the region. (Photo courtesy of DA-13) BUTUAN CITY - Newly-installed Department of Agriculture (DA) Region 13 (Caraga) Director Ricardo Onate Jr. has vowed to undertake measures to strengthen cooperation with local government units (LGUs) and other stakeholders to help more farmers in the region. Onate formally assumed his post on Tuesday afternoon as new DA-13 chief replacing RED Abel James Monteagudo who will now head the DA 11 office. "Regional Executive Director (RED) Onate is from DA-11 in Davao Region... In his message, [he] said he will further strengthen our ties and partnerships with the LGUs and other stakeholders in the agriculture sector to reach out to more farmers in the region," Emmylou Presilda, DA-13 information officer, told the Philippine News Agency in an interview Wednesday. Presilda said the new DA-13 chief also vowed to continue implementing the programs, services, and projects started by Monteagudo. Onate served as RED of DA-11 from 2016 until his transfer to Caraga Region on Tuesday. He completed his elementary, high school, and college degree on Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Engineering at the Ateneo de Davao University in Davao City. (PNA) }