A New SEARCA Director Has Been Appointed – Mercedita A Sombilla –Expect Now Policy Shifts From “Business As Usual” To Fast-Tracking “Transformational Development.” I say, “You’re Welcome, Ma’am!”

Exciting news from SEARCA! Leah Lyn Domingo writes about it: “Eminent Economist Appointed 12th SEARCA Director, First Woman To Lead The Center,” 01 April 2025, SEARCA, searca.org): Mercedita A. Sombilla. No joke! I take note of the sex, but I take more note of this:

As (formerly) Undersecretary of the Philippine Department of Agriculture and a long-standing policy advocate at the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), where she also served as Undersecretary, Dr Sombilla has long championed policy reforms aimed at strengthening agricultural productivity, food security, and rural development.

I especially note her interests in (1) “agricultural productivity,” (2) “food security,” and (3) “rural development” – all along “fast-tracking transformational development.” Can’t wait!

Those new foci of SEARCA make me glad, as my own origins are in the ricelands of Asingan, Pangasinan, not known for either (1), (2) or (3).

If the SEARCA heads and scientists will soon focus on those 3 concerns, with Dr Sombilla’s leadership, Southeast Asia should become a center for agricultural development.

Says Ms Leah: “Her appointment follows a distinguished career marked by thought leadership and significant contributions to agricultural economics, public policy, and regional development.”

A remarkable lady, this gentleman says.

Ms Leah says more on Dr Sombilla:

“Her research(es) on the complexities of agricultural production, marketing, trade, and prices have informed major initiatives on agricultural transformation across Southeast Asia and South Asia, with expertise that bridges macroeconomic insight, climate-smart agriculture, and grassroots empowerment.”

I an agriculturist of UP Los Baños (1965); with my personal standards for public service, am impressed more and more by Dr Sombilla.

“Her research (initiatives) on the complexities of agricultural production, marketing, trade, and prices (have) informed major initiatives on agricultural transformation across Southeast Asia and South Asia, with expertise that bridges macroeconomic insight, climate-smart agriculture, and grassroots empowerment.” A remarkable lady of science! I say.

Not that I have been looking for a special lady of science, but I have been interested in “climate-smart agriculture” – now I say:

“If we do not outsmart Climate Change, it will outsmart us all!”

Ms Leah says:

“She underscored ‘the need to shift from business-as-usual development to transformational development’ and forward-looking policies that fast-track modernization, drive innovation, strengthen capacity-building, and nurture inclusivity in Southeast Asia.”

Dr Sombilla notes the need for SEARCA to transform itself somehow (into) a knowledge center of Southeast Asia. Ms Leah quotes her as saying:

"Let's make SEARCA the go-to center for policy actions and a champion for knowledge and innovation that empower agricultural stakeholders in the region now and in the future."

Wow! Now I’m thinking Dr Sombilla creating a knowledge base that I shall call here “SEARCA InfoLink”  – initially, an Internet library of what SEARCA people have come up with in terms of published papers and articles – with proper and adequate quick-search index entries.

Online, this SEARCA knowledge base will feature search entries for data & info from out there in the Internet world – the faster, the better!@517