The Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries (PCAF) reaffirmed its commitment to building a strong and capable workforce as it formally welcomed two newly promoted officials during an oath taking ceremony held on February 9, 2026, in Quezon City.
PCAF Executive Director Bernadette De Los Santos administered the oath of office to Catherine Viray and Maria Belen Milanes, marking their assumption of higher leadership roles within the agency. Viray was promoted to Development Management Officer (DMO) V and will lead the Partnership Development Division (PDD), while Milanes advanced to DMO IV and will serve under the Policy Development and Coordination Division (PDCD).
As head of the PDD, Viray will spearhead initiatives to mobilize volunteers and stakeholders in support of agriculture and fisheries modernization. Her division’s responsibilities include broadening stakeholder engagement to ensure diverse and meaningful representation in policy-making; building cross-sector partnerships to raise public awareness and enhance service delivery; strengthen community participation; and providing capacity-building and local-level technical and administrative support to consultative bodies.
Meanwhile, Milanes will serve as Assistant Division Chief in the Policy Development and Coordination Division (PDCD). Her division is responsible for providing technical leadership and policy support to national-level stakeholders, as well as analyzing agricultural and fisheries policies and directives to address emerging issues and future sectoral challenges. It also coordinates strategic research and policy studies, generates evidence-based inputs for consultations. In this role, Milanes will help oversee the implementation of key regulatory and evaluation systems, including the Constructors Performance Evaluation System (CPES) and the National Agricultural Machinery Manufacturers, Distributors, and Dealers Accreditation and Classification (NAMDAC).
The ceremony was witnessed by OIC–Deputy Executive Director Cyril Soliaban, PDCD Chief Sarah Bales, OIC–Administrative and Financial Management Division Chief Marisa Lo, and Human Resource and Development Section Chief Braulio Castro. Also present was MIMAROPA Regional Agricultural and Fishery Councils (AFC) Chairperson Alfonso J. Esguerra Jr., who paid a courtesy visit to PCAF. | Jane Briña
