In view of the election of Dr. Candida B. Adalla, Professor of Entomology and Dean of the College of Agriculture, University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), as Executive Secretary of the Asian Association of Agricultural Colleges and Universities (AAACU), the Association Secretariat which has been hosted at SEARCA* since 1986 has been relocated to the UPLB College of Agriculture effective 1 January 2007. The relocation is in accordance with the decision of the AAACU Governing Council in its meeting on 28 October 2006 during the 16th AAACU Biennial Convention in Taichung, Taiwan, Republic of China. Dr. Adalla started her term of office as Executive Secretary on 1 November 2006.

Dr. Adalla replaced Dr. Arsenio M. Balisacan, Director of SEARCA, as Executive Secretary of AAACU, whose term of office in AAACU ended during the 16th Biennial Convention. As Executive Secretary of AAACU and as stipulated in Sec. 4, Article 4, AAACU By-Laws, Dr. Adalla shall “act as Secretary-Treasurer of the Governing Council and Executive Board and shall keep the records, complete proceedings, and assets and accounts of the Association. Dr. Adalla shall attend to the implementation and/or execution of plans, policies and programs as may be agreed upon to promote the welfare of the Association. She shall also be responsible for publishing a newsletter at regular intervals.”

Dr. Adalla is the first woman dean of the UPLB-CA. Prior to her appointment as Dean of the College of Agriculture in July 2000, Dr. Adalla served as Director of the Office of Institutional Linkages at UPLB from 1992 to June 2000, and Director of UPLB Student Affairs from October 2000 to June 2002. She is a member of the National Expert Team for Insect Resistance Management for Bt Corn Commercialization in the Philippines, member of the Executive Committee of the Association of Colleges of Agriculture in the Philippines (ACAP) and a Technical Bioefficacy Consultant of the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority of the Philippines. She has received numerous awards for achievements in her field of specialization, among which are: the Pest Management Award given by the Pest Management Council of the Philippines in 2001; the L. B. Uichanco Outstanding Entomologist Award given by the Philippine Entomologists, Inc. in 1999, and the Metro Manila Commission Professorial Chair in Entomology from 1997 to 1999. She finished her PhD in Entomology major in Host Plant Resistance and minor in Plant Breeding and Biochemistry at UPLB in 1981.

Dr. Adalla teaches courses in basic entomology and crop protection and serves as guest lecturer in graduate and undergraduate courses in Plant Breeding. She also serves as adviser of undergraduate and graduate students in economic entomology, insect pest management and host plant resistance. She has conducted researches in IPM and HPR and Gender Issues in Agriculture and served in various college, university and national technical committees. It was during her term as CA dean when the actual reorganization of the College was implemented after nine years of discussion and planning initiated by her predecessors.

The AAACU was established in 1972 in Baguio City, Philippines with UPLB-CA as one of its founding members. Since its establishment, the AAACU has expanded its network to include 47 regular and 4 affiliate members (visit its website at http://www.aaacu.searca.org).

The new postal address and contact details of AAACU Secretariat are: UPLB College of Agriculture, College, Laguna 4031, Philippines, Telephone No. (63-49) 536-3551, email aydsadalla_at_yahoo.com. All member-institutions of AAACU are requested to use the new address in communicating with AAACU.(by E.C. Cedicol )