Inanunsiyo ng Malacañang ang pagkakatalaga ni Pangulong Aquino kay Atty. Efren Sabong bilang officer-in-charge (OIC) ng National Food Authority (NFA).

Si Sabong ang pumalit kay Arthur Juan na naghain ng irrevocable resignation sa gitna ng imbestigasyon kaugnay sa umano’y pangingikil ng P15 milyon mula sa isang rice trader.

Sinabi ni Presidential Assistant on Agriculture Modernization and Food Security Francis Pangilinan, dadaan pa sa halalan ng board si Sabong bago maging opisyal na administrador ng NFA.

Ayon kay Pangilinan, si Sabong ay dati ng NFA assistant administrator for finance and administration, Region 7 director at chairman ng NFA Special Bids and Awards Committee.

“Atty. Efren Sabong, the assistant NFA administrator, has been designated by the NFA council as OIC, pending the election by the board of a permanent administrator,” ani Pangilinan.

Si Sabong ay nagtapos ng kursong abogasya sa San Beda College at tubong Catarman, Northern Samar.

Dati siyang nagsilbi sa iba’t ibang posisyon sa NFA tulad ng director ng Asset and Risk Management Department (ARMD), Human Resource Management Department (HRMD), Legal Affairs Department (LAD), Extension Department (EXD), Enforcement, Investigation and Prosecution Department (EIPD) Business Regulation bago naitalagang regional director sa Ilocos Region, Southern Tagalog, Central Visayas, at National Capital Region.

Tumanggap na rin siya ng parangal bilang Outstanding Public Servant noong 2010 sa Civil Service Commission (CSC) Pag-Asa Awards.