Mr. Ramon Taniola, Senior Consultant of D&L Industries, Inc./Lao Foundation, visited the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) on 14 October 2022 and met with SEARCA officials to discuss matters of mutual interest. He was received by Dr. Glenn B. Gregorio, SEARCA Director; Assoc. Prof. Joselito G. Florendo, Deputy Director for Administration; Dr. Maria Cristeta N. Cuaresma, Senior Program Head, Education and Collective Learning Department (ECLD); Dr. Gerlie T. Tatlonghari, Program Head, Research and Thought Leadership Department (RTLD); Asst. Prof. Glenn N. Baticados, Program Head, Emerging Innovation for Growth Department (EIGD); Ms. Sharon A. Malaiba, Head, Partnerships Unit; and Ms. Corinta C. Guerta, Technical Advisor to the Director.
The discussion focused on the possible collaborations of SEARCA and D&L Industries, Inc./Lao Foundation, particularly in agricultural undertakings on the coconut industry project in Quezon Province; the Technology Adoption for People-centered Innovation and Livelihood Integration (PILI) project in Legazpi, Albay; and short-term capacity-building offerings of the Center.
During the meeting, Dr. Gregorio highlighted the importance to SEARCA of the partnerships with industry players and academic institutions in attaining agricultural transformation and rural development. He expressed his appreciation to D&L Industries for its interest to partner with SEARCA in promoting agri-innovation and improving the livelihood of farming communities.
D&L Industries, Inc. produces products for food ingredients, oleochemicals for personal and home care use, and raw materials for plastic in the Philippines and international market. The company has the largest market share in each of the industries it serves. In 2016, the company was included in Forbes Asia’s “Best Under a Billion” list, the only Philippine company that made it to the roster of 200 leading public companies in the Asia-Pacific region.
Growing out of the informal outreaches of D&L Industries’ companies, Lao Foundation Inc. (LFI) was created to better the lives in the communities it operates in. LFI’s main programs focus on opening opportunities for those who need it most. Its goal is to work with institutional partners that can create and implement services which will empower farmers and create sustainable impact, which is consistent with SEARCA’s vision of being the leading enabler of excellence in agriculture and rural development.
Dr. Glenn B. Gregorio (center), SEARCA Director, presents tokens to Mr. Ramon Taniola, Senior Consultant of D&L Industries, Inc./Lao Foundation, during his visit to the Center on 14 October 2022. Also in the photo are Dr. Maria Cristeta N. Cuaresma (leftmost), Senior Program Head, Education and Collective Learning Department; Ms. Sharon A. Malaiba (second from right), Head, Partnerships Unit; and Asst. Prof. Glenn N. Baticados (rightmost), Program Head, Emerging Innovation for Growth Department.