MANILA — Newly-appointed Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, Jr., a fishing tycoon, clarified Monday that he had quit school and had no college degree, following alleged erroneous reports about his educational background.

• Marcos gives up agri portfolio, appoints fishing tycoon as agriculture chief

“Let me clear the air about my educational background given news reports that claim I am an alumnus of the University of Santo Tomas, or any other institution of higher learning. That is not true,” Laurel said in a statement.

• Tycoon denies DA appointment 'payback' for Marcos campaign donation

Laurel, who was appointed by President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. as Department of Agriculture (DA) secretary earlier this month, said he had to quit school to raise his eldest child.

“I never finished my education because I became a father at 19. I needed to work to support my eldest child... Like many, I dreamt of wearing a toga and receiving a diploma. But that wasn’t meant to be," he said.

He said he instead helped build the family’s flagship company, Frabelle, from a simple fishing operation to a conglomerate.

Laurel was president of the family-owned Frabelle Corporation, one of the biggest fishing companies in the country. It specializes in fresh, frozen, and processed seafood, with a market that extends to Asia, Europe, the Middle East, South Africa, and the United States.

“The sea became my university, experiences in life taught me the value of perseverance, my children gave me the courage and inspiration to get to where I am now, and the good fortune I have today, I enjoy through God’s grace,” Laurel said.

Watch more News on iWantTFC

In recent years, Frabelle has diversified its business — getting into aquaculture, canning, food manufacturing and processing, food importation, cold storage, shipyard operations, real estate development, and power generation.

But to steer clear of any possible conflict of interest, Laurel said he divested his interests from his companies.

• New Agri chief meets with DA officials; appointment draws mixed reactions

Watch more News on iWantTFC