Philippine Independence Day is an annual national holiday in the Philippines observed on 12 June, commemorating the declaration of Philippine independence from Spain in 1898.

The Philippines, SEARCA's host country, is one of the founding members of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO), the Center's mother organization.

Feature photo: Raniel Jose Castaneda

The Asian Journal of Agriculture and Development (AJAD) Volume 21 Issue No. 2 presents a diverse collection of studies addressing key agricultural and development challenges in Asia. Topics include global food price dynamics, edible flower conservation, antioxidant-rich pigmented rice, pineapple value chain analysis, rice household productivity in Indonesia, and Philippine hunger surveys.

In July 2020, SEARCA embarked on its five-year (2020-2025) mission, which focuses on Accelerating Transformation Through Agricultural INnovation (ATTAIN) and aims to deliver BETTER, BIGGER, and SMARTER impacts and outcomes to agricultural and rural development stakeholders across Southeast Asia.