BATAC, Ilocos Norte – During the 38th Commencement Exercises of Mariano Marcos State University held recently, guest of honor and commencement speaker Dr. Gil C. Saguiguit, Jr., Director of the Philippine government-hosted Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), underscored the value of education and how to use it to open doors of opportunities in the future.
Currently headed by Dr. Prima Fe Franco, MMSU is a multi-campus university and is one of the best equipped and strongest institutions of higher learning in the Philippines.
Dr. Saguiguit also took the occasion to emphasize the importance of agriculture to food security and poverty alleviation in the Southeast Asian region.
“Education and manpower seems to be one of the keys and MMSU has a major role in this part of our country, which is primarily agriculture-based and dependent,” Dr. Saguiguit said.
The SEARCA Director went on further to promote inclusive and sustainable agricultural development (ISARD) amid the issues, problems, and challenges faced by this all important sector which should contribute more to the country’s economy and overall development. ISARD is the main focus of SEARCA over the next five years.
By Leah Lyn D. Domingo
