Two professors at the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman and one UP Mindanao professor are recipients of the SEARCA Professorial Chair for school year 2010/2011. The new SEARCA professorial chairholders are Dr. Ramon L. Clarete, Professor, School of Economics, and Dr. Crispin Emmanuel D. Diaz, Associate Professor, School of Urban and Regional Planning, both of UP Diliman; and Dr. Larry N. Digal, Associate Professor, College of Science and Mathematics, UP Mindanao.

The title of Dr. Clarete’s seminar is “Investing in Structured Trade of Farm Products: Case of Yellow Corn in the Philippines” while that of Dr. Diaz is “Exploring the Funding and Management of the Construction and Maintenance of Rural Roads through Public-Private Partnerships.” On the other hand, Dr. Digal’s seminar is titled “Small-scale Producers in High Value Banana: Issues and Challenges.”

All three professorial chairholders are expected to deliver their lectures at the weekly SEARCA Agriculture and Development Seminar Series.

The SEARCA Professorial Chair Program aims to give due recognition to the experts among UP academic staff in specific fields of discipline under the broad themes of agricultural competitiveness and natural resource management. Awardees have a minimum rank of Assistant Professor, have proven excellence in academic and/or research work in their chosen field of specialization within the abovesaid priority thrusts. Awardees receive a lump sum of P100,000.

As of January 2011, a total of 248 SEARCA professorial chair awards have been granted to the different autonomous campuses of the UP System. (Leah Lyn D. Domingo)