SEARCA in the News

LOS BAÑOS, Laguna: The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) has set May 31, 2022 as the deadline for the submission of applications for research scholarships for doctoral students whose dissertation topics are relevant to the center's priority objectives. Research topics of applicants must fall under the following SEARCA priority areas: Agri-Business Models for Increased Productivity and Income, Sustainable Farming Systems and Natural Resource Management, Food and Nutrition Security, Transformational Leadership for Agriculture and Rural Development (ARD), Gender and Youth Engagement in ARD, Enhanced ARD Toward Climate Resilience and Eco-Health/One-Health Applications to ARD. Dr… Read more

DIRECTOR Glenn Gregorio of the Philippine Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) has been reappointed for another three-year term effective May 1, 2022. Endorsed by the SEARCA Governing Board (SGV) and Education Secretary Leonor Briones for a second three-year term, Gregorio's reappointment was approved and signed by Singapore Education Minister Chan Chun Sing, who is also the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) Council president. SEAMEO Council (SEAMEC) is the highest policymaking body of the organization composed of the Education ministers of the 11 member-countries such as Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR… Read more

BUSINESS groups on Tuesday welcomed the appointment of Arsenio Balisacan as the next head of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA). In a text message to The Manila Times, the Makati Business Club (MBC), and the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) said Balisacan is a "good choice" to lead NEDA. "We welcome the appointment of Sec[retary] Balisacan back to NEDA. His previous experience there and later at PCC (Philippine Competition Commission) bode well for long-term investment especially in PPPs (public-private partnerships) and other infrastructure, and for more competition across industries," said MBC Executive Director Coco Alcuaz. Alcuaz… Read more

The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) has set May 31, 2022 as the deadline of applications for research scholarships of doctorate students whose dissertation topics are relevant to its priority thrusts. The scholarship is open to Filipinos and other Southeast Asians from Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam. Headquartered at the campus of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), SEARCA provides research funds not to exceed US$4,500 and optional internship at SEARCA for up to two months. SEARCA Director Dr. Glenn B. Gregorio said those… Read more

Arsenio Balisacan will return to his old post as the government's chief socioeconomic planner and fill a crucial spot in the economic team of Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., presumptive president-elect. A few moments after Marcos publicly announced that he had asked Balisacan to join his government, incoming Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez told reporters in a separate message on Monday that Balisacan has already accepted the offer to head the National Economic and Development Authority, the state's socioeconomic planning agency. Balisacan served as the director-general of NEDA under the late President Benigno Aquino III's government. As NEDA chief, he was the board chair of the Philippine… Read more

Gregorio, an eminent scientist, will serve for another three years. A professor at the University of the Philippines Los Baños, Gregorio was endorsed by the SEARCA Governing Board and Education Secretary Leonor Briones. His reappointment was approved and signed by Singapore Education Minister Chan Chun Sing, who is also the SEAMEO council president. SEAMEC is SEAMEO’s highest policymaking body composed of the Education Ministers of the 11 SEAMEO member countries. At a townhall meeting attended by SEARCA staff, scholars, and the agency’s Governing Board Chair and UPLB Chancellor Jose Camacho Jr. last May 2, Gregorio cited some of the gains… Read more

IN a move to boost the coconut industry in Quezon province, the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) and a team from the Southeast Asian Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) carried out the initial scoping activity for the baseline assessment for a project in Catanauan town. The team from SEARCA that conducted the scoping activity of the project titled "Development of Coconut Industry Growth Areas in the Province of Quezon" on April 28 to 29, 2022 was headed by Dr. Pedcris Orencio, program head of the Research and Thought Leadership Department (RTLD). Orencio said the scoping… Read more

Dr. Glenn B. Gregorio has been reappointed as Director of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) for another three-year term effective 1 May 2022. Mandated to serve the agricultural and rural development needs of Southeast Asian countries, SEARCA is hosted by the Philippine government and is based in Los Baños, Laguna. SEARCA was established 55 years ago and is one of the oldest centers of excellence of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO). An eminent rice scientist, an Academician at the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) of the Philippines… Read more

LOS BAÑOS, Laguna: Vietnam National University of Agriculture (VNUA) has introduced intercropping in a Special Graduate Seminar conducted by the Education and Collective Learning Department (ECLD) of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) here. During the seminar on April 29, 2022, Dr. Nguyen Thanh Trung from the VNUA Department of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, Faculty of Natural Resources and Environment, shared his Ph.D. research on Enhancing Soil Fertility and Sustainable Agricultural Production Using Legume-based Intercropping in Northern Mountainous Areas of Vietnam (NMAV). Also an alumnus under the SEARCA Full MS/Ph.D. research scholarship… Read more

The Romania ambassador to the Philippines eye research and education ties with the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) during her visit to the Los Baños-based think tank last month. Ambassador Răduţa Dana Matache of Matache met with SEARCA Director Dr. Glenn B. Gregorio, Deputy Director Joselito G. Florendo and key SEARCA executives She was given a briefing on SEARCA’s programs and activities that are geared toward Accelerating Transformation Through Agricultural Innovation in the 11 Southeast Asian countries that the center is mandated to serve in partnership with governments, academe, other research and international… Read more