SEARCA has awarded graduate scholarships to 19 Southeast Asian nationals, 17 of whom started their graduate programs in School Year 2010/2011, while the two will begin their studies in School Year 2011/2012. The scholarships are for 10 master’s and nine PhD programs.

Of the 19 new scholars, 18 will pursue their graduate programs at University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) and one will pursue his MS program at UP Diliman.

The new scholars are from Lao PDR (4), Myanmar (5), the Philippines (3), Thailand (2), and Vietnamese (5).            

Of the 19 new SEARCA scholars, five are supported by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), while the rest are funded by SEARCA.

Scholars commencing studies in SY 2010/2011

The scholars who began their studies at UPLB in the first semester of SY 2010/2011, their degree programs and positions at their home institutions are:  

Lao PDR

• Mr. Anongsack Chanthavong, MS in Community Development, Head, Food Security Project for Multi Ethnic Groups in Long District, Luang Namtha Province, Action Against Hunger International Network, Lao PDR;
• Mr. Sonephet Ounthala, MS in Community Development, Deputy Head, Administration Office, Provincial Agriculture and Forestry Office, Luang Namtha Province, Lao PDR;
• Mr. Bouakham Tia Sisongkham, MS in Environmental Science, Deputy Chief of Agriculture and Forestry, Technical Services Section, Department of Agriculture and Forestry, Vientiane, Lao PDR;
• Mr. Khampong Pong Vongphachan, MS in Environmental Science, Deputy Provincial Project Officer, Department of Agriculture and Forestry, Vientiane Lao PDR;

• Mr. Win Htein, MS in Environmental Science, Deputy Assistant Supervisor, Myanma Perennial Crops Enterprise, Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation, Yangon, Myanmar;
• Ms. San Hla Htwe, PhD in Soil Science, Deputy Supervisor, Oil Crops Development Project, Myanma Agricultura Service, Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation, Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar;
• Ms. Zin Mar Lwin, PhD in Environmental Science, Assistant Program Office, Planning Section, Department of Agricultural Planning, Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation, Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar;
• Ms. Khin Thanda Oo, PhD in Horticulture, Deputy Supervisor, Agricultural Extension Division, Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation, Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar;

• Ms. Bathsheda P. Aparilla, MS in Soil Science, Agriculturist I, Department of Agriculture, Quezon City, Philippines;
• Ms. Hannie T. Martin, MS in Forest Resources Management, Apayao State College, Conner, Apayao, Philippines;

• Mr. Quyen Dinh Ha, PhD in Community Development, Lecturer, Department of Rural Development, Faculty of Economics and Rural Development, Hanoi University of Agriculture, Vietnam;
• Mr. Nguyen Van Huong, PhD in Agricultural Economics, Lecturer, Faculty of Economics, Hung Yen University of Technology and Education, Vietnam;
• Mr. Vu Hoang Lan, PhD in Animal Science, Lecturer and Researcher, Faculty of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture, Thai Nguyen Province, Vietnam; and
• Ms. Le Thi Thanh Loan, MS in Agricultural Economics, Lecturer, Department of Agricultural Economics and Policies, Faculty of Economics and Rural Development, Hanoi University of Agriculture, Vietnam.

On the other hand, Mr. Rey B. Lara, Filipino, have started his MS program in Urban and Regional Planning at UP Diliman in June 2010. He is Planning Officer I at the Department of Agriculture - Regional Field Unit IX, Pagadian City, Philippines.

Mr. Cherdpong Kheerajit, Thai, will begin his PhD in Development Communication at UPLB in the second semester of SY 2010/2011. Mr. Cherdpong is Lecturer at the Department of Agricultural Extension and Communication, Faculty of Agriculture, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand.

Scholars to begin studies in SY 2011/2012

Three scholarship awardees will begin their graduate programs in SY 2011/2012, all at UPLB.

The scholarship awarded to Ms. Pok Wudtisawad, Thai, to pursue her PhD in Agricultural Economics has been deferred for one year from SY 2010/2011 and will commence June 2011. 

Moreoever, the scholarships granted to Ms. May Yee Kay Khine Seine, Myanmar, PhD in Agricultural Economics, and Ms. Do Thanh Thu, Vietnamese, MS in Agriculture Economics, will take effect in April 2011 when they begin attending the Summer Program in Economics as a prerequisite to their respective graduate programs.

The new scholarship grants bring to 1,271 the total number of graduate scholarships that SEARCA has awarded to nationals of the 11 SEAMEO member countries. As of 30 June 2010, SEARCA has 76 scholars whose graduate programs are ongoing, including the new scholars.