SEARCA

02/12/2025

Dr. Rico Ancog is ’s new Deputy Director for Administration!

Dr. Ancog is a Professor at the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), a UP Scientist, and a highly awarded academic leader and researcher. He previously held leadership positions as Dean of the UPLB School of Environmental Science and Management (SESAM) from 2021 to 2025, and as Operations Consultant for SEARCA’s Emerging Innovation for Growth Department from 2020 to 2021.

His expertise spans sustainability science, environmental policy, economic valuation, and systems thinking. With a passion for bridging science and policy, Dr. Ancog champions inclusive, resilient, and sustainable development in Southeast Asia by integrating rigorous research with practical strategies for governance, institutional strengthening, and regional collaboration.

Dr. Ancog has earned prestigious distinctions, such as the Outstanding Young Scientist (OYS) Award from the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) in 2019 and The Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) recognition in 2022.

Internationally, he represents the Philippines at the General Assembly of Future Earth and serves on the Scientific Steering Committee of MAIRS-FE hosted by Peking University. He is also a Commissioner of the Europe-based Value Commission, which brings together global experts to enhance transparency in value creation and assessment.

SEARCA looks forward to Dr. Ancog’s leadership as he brings SEARCA to new heights. With him at the helm, we are confident that SEARCA’s operations will continue to enable innovation, excellence, and regional collaboration.

Congratulations, Dr. Ancog!

02/12/2025

📌 Submission is now closed for .
Thank you to all Southeast Asian photographers who took part!
Stay tuned for the announcement of shortlisted entries. 🌱

02/12/2025

2 December is .

It commemorates the creation of the Lao People's Democratic Republic in 1975.
Lao PDR is one of the founding member countries of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization ( ), 's mother organization.

Happy 50th National Day, Lao PDR!
ຊົມເຊີຍວັນປະກາດເອກະລາດ ຄົບຮອບ 50ປີ!


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Photo by Saiyadeth Sitthilath

01/12/2025

has officially opened applications for the 2026 edition of the Executive Program for Leaders in Asian Agriculture and Development (LAAD): Focus on Southeast Asia.

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines —The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) has officially opened applications for the 2026 edition of the Executive Program for Leaders in Asian Agriculture and Development (LAAD): Focus on Southeast Asia. The program, which...

01/12/2025

Former National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Dr. Karl Kendrick Chua underscored that agricultural productivity is the missing foundation in the Philippines' long-delayed structural transformation during a seminar hosted by on 14 November 2025.

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—Former National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Dr. Karl Kendrick Chua underscored that agricultural productivity is the missing foundation in the Philippines' long-delayed structural transformation during a seminar hosted by the Southeast Asian Regi...

01/12/2025

supports SEAMEO RECSAM's 14th Regional Congress: Search for SEAMEO Young Scientists (SSYS) as a valued partner.

This upcoming congress, themed “GREENOVATE: Youth Turning Vision into Action for a Sustainable Future,” serves as a regional platform to empower young minds to address real-world challenges through science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The 14th SSYS aims to nurture future innovators who are committed to creating positive impact within their communities and the wider SEAMEO region.

We look forward to strengthening our collaboration and welcoming all participating young scientists to an inspiring and impactful event.

🗓 9 – 12 February 2026
📍 SEAMEO RECSAM, Penang, Malaysia

For further details about the 14th Regional Congress: Search for SEAMEO Young Scientists (SSYS), please visit:
http://www.recsam.edu.my/sub_SSYS/index.php

30/11/2025

🎉 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐄𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐎’𝐬 𝟔𝟎𝐭𝐡 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐫𝐲 🎉

For six decades, ’s mother organization, the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization ( ) has strengthened regional cooperation in 𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞. Since 1965, SEAMEO’s initiatives—from rural development and public health to STEM, lifelong learning, and global partnerships—have supported human development and contributed to a more connected and resilient Southeast Asia.

We are SEAMEO.
A community. A movement. A shared commitment to improving lives through education, science and culture.

On 30 November, we commemorate 60 years of SEAMEO and 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧.

Celebrating six decades of regional cooperation in education, science, and cultureSince its founding in 1965, the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Orga...

30/11/2025

⏳ LAST DAY OF SUBMISSION! 📸✨

The clock is ticking! Today is the FINAL DAY to submit!

Join the : "Beyond the Harvest: People and Processes in the Agriculture Value Chain"

Visit https://photocontest.searca.org/2025 to know more about what to capture and the contest guidelines.

Upload your entries before 11:59 p.m. (GMT+8) at https://photocontest.searca.org/2025

29/11/2025

📸 IN PHOTOS:

participated in the ASEAN–Japan Symposium for Promoting Sustainable Agricultural Development in ASEAN: Focusing on Decarbonization and Digitalization held on 25–27 November in Tokyo, Japan.

Ms. Darlyn Angeles, Program Specialist of SEARCA’s Emerging Innovation for Growth Department, presented the Dayami Hub Concept during the panel discussion, highlighting a community-based approach that transforms rice straw into value-added products for decarbonization and climate action.

The three-day symposium featured plenary sessions on cutting-edge programs, policy and governance frameworks for digitalization, and country-level initiatives aimed at reducing GHG emissions in agriculture and food systems. Participants also explored an agri-business fair showcasing over 100 agri-businesses, startups, and research institutions from Japan, presenting advanced and smart innovations for the agriculture and food sectors.

29/11/2025

📸 IN PHOTOS:

participated in the National Vegetable Congress 2025, organized by the Panay Organization for Progressive Agriculture (POPA) in Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo, Philippines.

On 27 November 2025, Ms. Lichelle Carlos, Program Specialist of the Emerging Innovation for Growth Department, delivered a talk on “From Farm to Market: Insights on the Fruit and Vegetable Value Chain.” She underscored that 45% of fruits and vegetables in Southeast Asia are lost before reaching consumers, resulting in billions of pesos in eroded profits in the Philippines and weakening food security, nutrition, and resource efficiency. In line with Sustainable Development Goal 12 on responsible consumption and production, she emphasized the need for innovations such as labor-cost-saving mechanization, low-energy cold storage, smarter packaging, value-adding processing closer to villages, and digital marketing solutions to help farmers and value chain actors minimize losses and improve market competitiveness.

29/11/2025

⏳ ONLY 2 DAYS LEFT to submit your entries!
Don't miss your chance to join the : "Beyond the Harvest: People and Processes in the Agriculture Value Chain" and get a chance to win up to USD 1,000.
Details at https://photocontest.searca.org/2025

28/11/2025

Thirty teaching and non-teaching personnel under DepEd Philippines in Laguna completed the "In-Country Training on Urban Farming for Sustainable Cultivation to Support Biodiversity Conservation, Education, and Food Security in the Philippines" held on 29-30 October 2025 at and the University of the Philippines Los Baños.

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines—Thirty teaching and non-teaching personnel under the Department of Education in Laguna (DepEd Laguna) completed the "In-Country Training on Urban Farming for Sustainable Cultivation to Support Biodiversity Conservation, Education, and Food Security in the Philippines& #3...