H.E. Sonny Angara, Secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd) of the Philippines and President of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) Council, visited the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) on 31 March 2025. Along with him were Undersecretary for Senior Personnel Oversight and the Head of Procuring Entity Atty. Peter Irving Corvera; Assistant Secretary for External Partnerships – International and Government Cooperation Georgina Ann Hernandez Yang; Assistant Secretary for Operations Dr. Dexter Galban; and officials from DepEd Laguna, Dr. Editha Atendido, Schools Division Superintendent; Mr. Jaypee Lopo, Assistant Schools Division Superintendent; and Ms. Soledad Villanueva, Public School District Supervisor - Los Baños Sub Office.
Dr. Glenn Gregorio, SEARCA Center Director; Dr. Mercedita Sombilla, incoming Center Director; and selected members of the SEARCA Management Committee welcomed the delegation.
During the visit, they were briefed by Dr. Gregorio on SEARCA's achievements under its 11th Five-Year Plan (2020–2025). He emphasized SEARCA and DepEd's collaborative initiatives focusing on capacitating teachers and fostering basic education learners' interest in agriculture, including the School-Plus-Home Gardens Project (S+HGP) and its offshoot initiatives, namely, the School-Plus-Home Gardens cum Biodiversity Enhancement and Enterprise (SHGBEE) in Palawan, Philippines and Cambodia, and the School Edible Landscaping for Entrepreneurship (SEL4E) in Rizal, Philippines. He also showcased the introductory training on agri-robotics education in partnership with DepEd schools in Nueva Ecija, Philippines, and the third episode of SEARCA Youth in Agri Talk Show, focusing on school and home gardens, with Assistant Secretary Galban as the guest.
Dr. Sombilla expressed excitement about continuing and strengthening the longstanding partnership between SEARCA and DepEd.
"SEARCA supports DepEd's call to foster young people's interest in agriculture through its integration into basic education programs," Dr. Sombilla affirmed.
She highlighted the significance of retooling, upskilling, and reskilling the Philippine agricultural labor force, including the youth, by keeping them informed of the nature and needs of the ever-changing agricultural landscape through education and capacity-building initiatives.
SEARCA and DepEd also entered into a memorandum of agreement for the Scoping Study for Micro-credentials in Southeast Asia, covering Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. Dr. Gregorio and Secretary Angara signed the agreement.
"Institutionalizing short-term, high-impact courses bridges education and workforce demands, making agriculture a viable, competitive career for the next generation," Secretary Angara said.
This initiative aligns with DepEd's 7-7-7 flagship programs as part of the Philippine SEAMEO Council Presidency. During its term, the country is set to implement seven programs responding to the seven priority areas in education identified in the SEAMEO Strategic Plan 2021–2030.
As a gesture of appreciation, Dr. Gregorio presented Secretary Angara with a miniature replica of SEARCA's Growth Monument and the SEARCA Photo Contest 2024 DepEd Secretary's Choice photo.
Secretary Angara (right) plants a tree in the SEARCA grounds.
Secretary Angara receives the SEARCA Photo Contest 2024 DepEd Secretary's Choice photo from Dr. Gregorio (leftmost), as Dr. Sombilla (second from the right) and Dr. Jose V. Camacho Jr., Chancellor of the University of the Philippines Los Baños, look on.