MANILA - (UPDATE) William Dar is back at the helm of the Department of Agriculture (DA), Malacañang said Monday.

"The Palace confirms the appointments of Mr. William Dar as the new acting Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, a post he held two decades ago during the administration of President Joseph Estrada, and Mr. Wendel Avisado as the new acting Secretary of the Department of Budget and Management," Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a statement.

Dar, who briefly served as agriculture secretary during former President Joseph Estrada's term, will serve as the acting chief of the agency.

He attended his first Cabinet meeting Monday night.

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo says William Dar appointed agriculture secretary, not just in acting capacity @ABSCBNNews

— Arianne Merez (@arianne_merez) August 5, 2019

Dar replaces former Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol, who is set to lead the Mindanao Development Authority.

A horticulturist, Dar served as director-general of the International Center for Research in the Semi-arid Tropics based in India from 1999 to 2014.

Dar also became the first director of the Philippine Bureau of Agricultural Research in 1988 and was designated director of the Philippine Council for Agricultural Research and Rural Development in 1994.