SEARCA in the News

Pili farmers in the Bicol Region received support from the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (Searca) to help them revive their livelihood activities that were stalled by the pandemic and typhoons. Through its Grants for Research toward Agricultural Innovative Solutions (GRAINS), Searca funded a project of the Socio-Economic Development Program Multi-Purpose Cooperative (SEDP-MPC) called “Technology Adoption for People-Centered Innovation and Livelihood Integration (Pili).” Searca Program Head for Emerging Innovation Glenn Baticados said that with GRAINS, Searca is pushing for starter technologies and projects that will benefit farming communities. According to SEDP-MPC Chairman Jovic Lobrigo, pili is a viable product… Read more

A Scoping activity for the School Edible Landscaping for Entrepreneurship (SEL4E) Project has been conducted in the Province of Rizal for 11 schools from seven municipalities to start home and community gardening projects this month. Visiting the said school were key staff of the Southeast Asin Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture's (SEARCA) Research and Thought Leadership Department (RTLD) and Training for Development Unit (T4DU), the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist of Rizal, and the Department of Education Schools Division Office of Rizal. SEARCA Director Glenn Gregorio said the SEL4E is an offshoot project of SEARCA's prior… Read more

The 52nd Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) Council Conference saw the turnover of the SEAMEO Council presidency from Singapore to the Philippines with Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte assuming leadership of the regional education body. Hosted by the Philippines through the Department of Education (DepEd), the SEAMEO Council conference was held on Feb. 8 and 9, 2023 at Edsa Shangri-La Manila Hotel, Ortigas Center in Mandaluyong City. SEAMEO is the mother organization of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA). During the conference, Duterte shared that DepEd recently launched the… Read more

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. recently announced plans to achieve rice self-sufficiency in two years. That seems consistent with the importance that the government has placed on reviving the agriculture sector. But if policymakers are to realize their dreams for agriculture, they must resolve the problem of aging farmers. With the average age of Filipino farmers ranging from 55 years old to 59 years old, experts predict the Philippines will face a critical shortage of farmers in 10 to 12 years. This threatens not only the plans for achieving rice self-sufficiency but also food security. Farmers generally find their life and… Read more

The following link will take you to CNNPhilippines.com:   World Bank warns PH of economic costs due to climate change https://www.cnnphilippines.com/videos/2023/2/17/World-Bank-warns-PH-of-economic-costs-due-to-climate-change.html… Read more

The Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) has gone a long way since its inception on Nov. 30, 1965 by Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.  It is an inter-governmental organization formed to promote regional cooperation in education, science and culture among the 11 countries of Southeast Asia. SEAMEO’s mission is to enhance regional understanding, cooperation and unity of purpose among member countries for a better quality of life.  It is run by the SEAMEO Council, which until this week was headed by Singapore Minister of Education Chan Chun Sing, who has turned over the position to… Read more

Recognizing the learning gaps brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, newly installed Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) Council President Vice President Sara Duterte promised to fight the education challenges and work on programs to address the learning losses. The official, who serves as Education secretary in a concurrent capacity, accepted the challenge of leading Southeast Asian education ministers in the post-pandemic recovery of the education sector. “The Philippines humbly accepts the challenge of leading its Southeast Asian counterparts to post-pandemic recovery, while pursuing much-needed reforms in our education systems, ensuring that these fit within our Priority Education Agenda… Read more

The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) is seeking to scale up its community gardening project to possibly include 11 more schools in Rizal. This, as a scoping activity for the School Edible Landscaping for Entrepreneurship (SEL4E) Project was conducted from January 31 to Feb. 3, 2022 in Rizal. Eleven schools from seven municipalities were visited by key staff of SEARCA's Research and Thought Leadership Department and Training for Development Unit, Office of the Provincial Agriculturist of Rizal and the Department of Education (DepEd) Schools Division Office (SDO) of Rizal. "SEL4E is an offshoot… Read more

FILIPINOS won six of the seven prizes at stake in the annual photo contest of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA). The 2022 edition of the competition was anchored on the theme "Emerging Agricultural Innovations for the Next Generation." SEARCA Director Glenn Gregorio said the winning entries depicted technologies and innovation that help modernize and transform agriculture and rural development towards increased food supply and security. Gregorio noted that in its 16th year in 2022, the SEARCA annual photo contest drew 760 entries from 182 photographers representing the countries of Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia… Read more

Filipinos won six of the seven prizes in the latest edition of the annual photo contest of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA). Themed “Emerging Agricultural Innovations for the Next Generation,” the 2022 edition of the competition searched for images that depict technologies and innovation that are modernizing and transforming agriculture and rural development towards increased food supply and security.Now on its 16th year, the SEARCA annual photo contest attracted 760 entries from 182 photographers from 10 countries, namely, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam… Read more