YANGON, 6 November 2025 – The Philippine Embassy in Myanmar welcomed the officials from the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), Dr. Maria Cristeta N. Cuaresma, Senior Program Head for Education and Collective Learning Development (ECLD), and Ms. Blessie P. Saez, Senior Program Associate, ECLD, during their visit to Yangon and Nay Pyi Taw from 4 to 7 November 2025. 

The SEARCA officials conducted scholarship interviews for the Academic Year 2026–2027 under SEARCA’s Graduate Scholarship Program. Since 1999, SEARCA has been awarding scholarships to Myanmar nationals pursuing Master’s and Doctoral degrees in agriculture and related fields. This initiative forms part of SEARCA’s long-standing commitment to advancing agricultural education and fostering sustainable development across Southeast Asia.

Established in 1966, SEARCA is one of the 26 Centres of Excellence under the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO), a treaty organization that promotes regional cooperation in education, science, and culture. 

SEAMEO’s member countries include Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam, while its associate members are Canada, France, Germany, Morocco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Myanmar became a SEAMEO member in 1998. END