Dr. Mercedita A. Sombilla, a renowned economist with decades of experience in agricultural policy and regional development, has been appointed the new Director of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) effective 1 April 2025. This appointment also makes her the first woman to lead SEARCA in its nearly 60-year history.
Her appointment follows a distinguished career marked by thought leadership and significant contributions to agricultural economics, public policy, and regional development. As Undersecretary of the Philippine Department of Agriculture and a long-standing policy advocate at the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), where she also served as Undersecretary, Dr. Sombilla has long championed policy reforms aimed at strengthening agricultural productivity, food security, and rural development.
Moreover, Dr. Sombilla held key research and advisory positions at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), and SEARCA itself. Her research on the complexities of agricultural production, marketing, trade, and prices have informed major initiatives on agricultural transformation across Southeast Asia and South Asia, with expertise that bridges macroeconomic insight, climate-smart agriculture, and grassroots empowerment.
In her acceptance speech during the SEARCA Leadership Turnover Ceremony held on 25 March 2025, Dr. Sombilla expressed her sincere appreciation for the opportunity to steer SEARCA and build on the institution's remarkable legacy established by her predecessors.
"It is with profound gratitude and a deep sense of responsibility that I address you today as the newly appointed 12th Director of SEARCA… A big thank you to all of you," Dr. Sombilla said.
She underscored "the need to shift from business-as-usual development to transformational development" and forward-looking policies that fast-track modernization, drive innovation, strengthen capacity building, and nurture inclusivity in Southeast Asia.
"SEARCA's capacity to contribute to this shift must be bolstered through informed policy actions and equipping agricultural stakeholders with knowledge and tools to adopt and use technologies and innovations," Dr. Sombilla asserted.
She highlighted SEARCA's strategic role in advancing micro-credential and reskilling programs for agricultural professionals and supporting future-ready academic programs in digital agriculture, AI, genomics, and sustainable food systems.
Dr. Sombilla also identified region-wide research, policy dialogues, and institutional partnerships as critical to accelerating inclusive growth in Southeast Asia.
"Let's make SEARCA the go-to center for policy actions and a champion for knowledge and innovation that empower agricultural stakeholders in the region now and in the future," Dr. Sombilla urged.
She added, "Yes, we are aware that many challenges remain. Nonetheless, we take these challenges as opportunities to maintain Southeast Asian agriculture as the economic cornerstone, not only of the region but also of the rest of the world."
Hosted by the Philippine government on the campus of the University of the Philippines Los Baños, SEARCA is the center of excellence in agriculture of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO). Serving the 11 SEAMEO member countries, SEARCA's core mandate is threefold: to provide high-quality graduate education and training in agriculture, to conduct and coordinate regionally relevant research, and to disseminate research findings to inform policy and practice across Southeast Asia.
Philippine Education Secretary Sonny Angara, who is also the current SEAMEO Council President, told Dr. Sombilla, "I am confident that under your stewardship, SEARCA will continue to thrive and expand its impact, particularly in its collaboration with the Department of Education in strengthening agricultural education."
"May SEARCA remain a dynamic force in bridging education and agricultural innovation, ensuring that the next generation is well-equipped to address the challenges and opportunities ahead," Secretary Angara affirmed.