LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—Seventy review students preparing for the Licensure Examination for Agriculturists enrolled at Upstep Review Center, accompanied by two staff members, Ms. Anj Cordero and Ms. Joy Aira Bunan, visited the Southeast Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) on 28 August 2025.
Founded in 2019, Upstep Review Center is a Los Baños, Laguna-based institution that seeks to raise the national passing rate in board examinations and empower the young generation of professionals who will serve as frontliners in various industries in the Philippines. This batch of reviewees hailed from different parts of the Philippines, representing state and private universities from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
In his welcoming remarks, Assoc. Prof. Joselito Florendo, SEARCA Deputy Director for Administration, emphasized the importance of agriculturists' expertise and commitment, especially in an agricultural country such as the Philippines. He noted that the licensure examination is not merely a requirement, but also an opportunity to enhance their skills and knowledge of the latest advancements in agricultural science and technology.
Mr. Joseph Matthew Hedreyda, SEARCA Senior Associate for Partnerships and Advocacy, provided an overview of SEARCA, its mandates, and its programs.
The review students tour the SEARCA Hub for Agriculture and Rural Innovation for the Next Generation (SHARING) AgriMuseum
Following Hedreyda's presentation, the review students were treated to an engaging tour of the SEARCA Hub for Agriculture and Rural Innovation for the Next Generation (SHARING) AgriMuseum. This facility combines agriculture with art, science, and technology, offering visitors an interactive museum experience. They also explored the SEARCA Sky Garden, an edible garden featuring a variety of vegetable crops and herbs.
The students also participated in a special screening of the SEARCA Youth in Agri Talk Show, a non-academic and nonconventional approach to learning agriculture and its importance to Southeast Asian youth. The third episode, which was shown, focused on the transformative role of gardening in youth development.
As a center of excellence in agriculture, SEARCA nurtures the next generation of agricultural leaders who will tackle the sector’s complex challenges and contribute to food security and rural development in the Philippines and beyond.