SEARCA News

Dr. Hermogenes Paguia, Vice President for Research, Extension and Training Services of the Bataan Peninsula State University (BPSU), along with Dr. Ma. Florinda Rubiano, Research Development Office Director, visited the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) on 28 February 2023.  They were received by Dr. Glenn Gregorio, SEARCA Director; Ms. Sharon Malaiba, Head, Partnerships Unit; and Ms. Beatrisa Martinez, Executive Coordinator, Office of the Director.  The meeting mainly focused on how SEARCA can help BPSU review its agriculture curriculum to align with the standards of a globalized agricultural education. The Center is also keen on setting up a thesis boot camp to… Read more

Dr. Stanford Blade, P.Ag., Dean, Faculty of Agricultural, Life, and Environmental Sciences, and Mr. Jinjia Xu, Regional Manager for Asia, Office of Global Engagement, both of the University of Alberta, visited the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) on 28 February 2023. Dr. Glenn Gregorio, SEARCA Director, welcomed and briefed the visitors on SEARCA’s strategic directions from 2020 to 2025, focused on Accelerating Transformation Through Agricultural Innovation (ATTAIN). After the audiovisual presentation, Dr. Blade expressed his keen interest in the Education and Collective Learning Department (ECLD) of SEARCA and inquired about the Center's scholarship management… Read more

AgriPortal Advocates Philippines, Inc. (AgriPortal) and the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on 17 January 2023. Under the five-year accord, SEARCA and AgriPortal have complementary objectives and a mutual desire to collaborate in a number of areas of common interest such as education, training, and research. Signatories are Dr. Glenn Gregorio, SEARCA Director, and Dr. Junifen Gauuan, Chairman of the AgriPortal Board of Trustees. The signing ceremony was held at SEARCA and witnessed by key officials and staff members of SEARCA and AgriPortal. AgriPortal is a… Read more

The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) concluded its one-day agri-innovation learning activities for Dagatan Family Farm School (DFFS) students on 15 February 2023 at the Drilon Hall. The first batch of students composed of Grades 8, 10, and 12 pupils visited SEARCA on 1 February 2023, while the second batch comprised Grades 7, 9, and 11. A total of 54 student-participants engaged in SEARCA’s learning activities. SEARCA, through its Partnerships Unit and Emerging Innovation for Growth Department, organized the activity to increase knowledge on modern farm technologies and practices among family farm school… Read more

The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), in partnership with the Philippine Commission on Higher Education (CHED), conducted an in-person Training-workshop on Developing Fundable Research Project Proposals for Higher Education Institutions in the Philippines (FundableProp4HEIs) from 20 to 24 February 2023 at the SEARCA Umali Auditorium in Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines. With 24 participants gathered from 14 public universities that are members of the State Universities and Colleges-Association of Colleges of Agriculture in the Philippines, Inc. (SUC-ACAP), the training-workshop aimed to reinforce their existing knowledge and practices on project proposal writing. The participants were… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines – In a bid to strengthen the agriculture and fisheries technology-based enterprises in the country, findings and recommendations of the assessment study conducted by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) on the Technology Business Incubation Program of the Philippine Department of Agriculture - Bureau of Agricultural Research (DA-BAR) were presented on 20 January 2023 at the SEARCA Umali Auditorium. Hosted by SEARCA’s Emerging Innovation for Growth Department (EIGD), the event was graced by key representatives of the DA-BAR led by Director Joell H. Lales as well as members of the… Read more

The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) and Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc. (PSFI) signed a Letter of Agreement (LOA) on 14 February 2023 at the Palms Country Club, Muntinlupa, Philippines. Under the agreement, SEARCA and PSFI will implement the School Edible Landscaping for Entrepreneurship (SEL4E) Project in Rizal, Philippines together with the Synergy Group Operations, Inc. (SGOI). "Working with academe and research institutions like SEARCA is a great way of ensuring that we have the latest technologies and modalities in terms of what we can provide to our beneficiaries," said Mr. Sebastian Quiniones, Jr.… Read more

The Philippines, through the Department of Education (DepEd), hosted the 52nd Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) Council Conference on 8-9 February 2023 at EDSA Shangrila Plaza. Led by DepEd, the conference saw the turnover of the SEAMEO Council (SEAMEC) Presidency from Singapore to the Philippines, with Her Excellency Vice President and Secretary of DepEd Sara Z. Duterte assuming the presidency.   The Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) is the mother organization of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA).   The SEAMEO SEARCA delegation was led by Dr. Glenn Gregorio… Read more

The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) in partnership with the World Bank (WB) will conduct its second Agriculture and Development Seminar Series (ADSS) for Fiscal Year 2022/2023 on 16 February 2023, with a discussion on the climate impacts on agriculture. The presentation on the Philippine Country Climate and Development Report (CCDR) in the ADSS will be presented by Dr. Stefano Pagiolo, WB Senior Environmental Economist, and by Dr. Souleymane Coulibaly, WB Lead Economist and Program Leader for Equitable Growth, Finance and Institutions Practice Group for Brunei, Malaysia, Philippines, and Thailand. Dr. Glenn Gregorio… Read more

MakilingTek, a spin-off company of UPLB researchers, has built a facility for the semi-commercial scale production of the plant growth stimulant called HormoGroe™. The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) granted construction funds for the pilot plant at the UPLB Science and Technology Park in Los Baños, Laguna. MakilingTek President Dr. Lilia Fernando said HormoGroe™ is a “locally developed solution that can increase the yields and profits of farmers. With the pilot plant, we will be able to produce more, resulting in more farmers benefiting.  We are moving steps away from doing research for academic and promotional purposes… Read more