Searca, Isaaa renew commitment to info center

THE Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (Searca) has renewed its 20-year partnership with the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (Isaaa) to continually operate and manage the Biotechnology Information Center (BIC) in the Philippines.

This is part of Searca’s commitment to continuing the delivery of credible, science-based information on agricultural biotechnology for Southeast Asia.

With this, a memorandum of agreement was signed between Searca Director Glenn Gregorio and Isaaa Southeast Asian Center

Director Rhodora Aldemita.

The Searca BIC was jointly established by Searca and Isaaa to serve as the Philippine biotechnology information node that is part of the Global Knowledge Center on Crop Biotechnology. It is part of Isaaa’s global network of BICs that respond to information needs, promote and advance a broader public understanding of crop biotechnology, and monitor the local agri- biotech environment.

Gregorio said researchers have developed a lot of technologies aimed at boosting farm productivity and food security, and improving lives of farmers.

“The use of biotech crops is one solution that science offers us,” he said.

Since 2000, the Searca BIC has been actively reaching out to various stakeholders from different sectors in the Philippines and Southeast Asia.

Gregorio said the Searca BIC has carried out knowledge sharing and capacity building initiatives to create an enabling environment that will unleash the potential of biotechnology for agricultural development.

“Searca stands by its long commitment to help farmers understand the science and enable them to make well-informed decisions about these technologies,” Gregorio asserted.

For her part, Aldemita affirmed Searca is one of their active collaborators in the region.

“We are very pleased that we are continuing our joint knowledge sharing initiatives that would hopefully lead to maximizing the potential of biotechnology to benefit various stakeholders, particularly resource-poor farmers in developing countries,” she said.

8.12 percent, respectively.

Asian markets also mirrored the PSE’s rise. Tokyo jumped by 8.04 percent, Shanghai rose by 2.17 percent, Hong Kong was up by 3.81 percent, Seoul climbed by 5.89 percent, Singapore grew by 6.07 percent, Bangkok inched up by 4.47 percent and Ho Chi Minh improved by 4.71 percent. Jakarta was closed for the Hindu Saka New Year celebration.

In Manila, all sectors ended in the green, with holding firms leading at 5.64 percent.

Volume turnover stood at 929.07 million, valued at P8.29 billion.

Advancers led losers, 158 to 44, while 29 issues are unchanged.