The Philippine government has initiated efforts in natural capital accounting in response to the escalating pressures of population growth and the misuse of natural resources. 

Natural Capital Accounting (NCA) is a method used to measure the value of a country's natural resources and the services it offers society. However, current natural capital accounting efforts have primarily concentrated on the regional and national level, highlighting the need for an approach to utilizing and managing local natural resources.

To address this concern, the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) collaborated with the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) on a project to revolutionize the way local governments account for and manage their natural capital.

Titled "Developing and Piloting LGU-based Natural Capital Accounting for Improved Governance and Management of Community Natural Assets," the project aims to create a localized NCA framework aligned with the United Nations (UN) guidelines that national government agencies will utilize for the National NCA Roadmap. It also seeks to develop user-friendly tools like calculators to aid LGUs in establishing natural capital accounts and enhance their capacity in the ecosystem.

In the project’s inception meeting last January 25, 2024, Dr. Agustin Arcenas, Project Leader and Director of Community Innovations Studies Center (CISC) of the University of the Philippines Los Banos (UPLB), emphasized the need to establish a localized framework and calculator to kickstart the development of stock and flow accounts within LGUs. This initiative aims to gradually reinforce their financial resources and technical capacity. Furthermore, Dr. Arcenas outlined the project's plans, including replicating the framework and fostering support and collaboration with other agencies and institutions.

The project has identified proposed pilot sites, including the selected municipalities/cities in Laguna and Palawan. Discussions during the meeting also covered various activities, including a thorough assessment of LGUs' technical capabilities and financial resources. Additionally, technical training on the basic principles of natural capital accounting and the extensive inventory of the community's natural capital ecosystem were addressed, as these activities will be instrumental in data collection and capacity building for LGUs.

The inception meeting was attended by resource persons Dr. Gem Castillo, President of Resources, Environment and Economics Center for Studies, Inc. (REECS); Ms. Maria Katrina Apaya, Environmental and Social Consultant of ARUP;  Ms. Virginia Bathan, Chief Statistical Specialist of Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA); and Mr. Roald Ray Taperla, Supervising Economic Development Specialist of National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), who has provided his written comments.

This project is aligned with the efforts to institutionalize natural capital accounting in the country, such as the Senate bill “Philippine Environment and Natural Capital Accounting System (PENCAS) Bill,” which adopts the framework provided by the UN. Moreover, NEDA, PSA, and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) have collaborated to develop a roadmap for the institutionalization of NCA in the Philippines, spanning from 2022 to 2040.

DOST-PCAARRD and UPLB hope this endeavor will revolutionize how local governments account for, manage, and handle their natural resources. The project started its implementation in November 2023 and is expected to run for 2 years.

A program is set to rehabilitate the Coconut Breeding Trial Unit (CBTU) of the Capiz State University (CAPSU) and utilize its genetic resources to aid the ongoing hybridization efforts in Western Visayas.

Western Visayas is slowly adopting high yielding coconut hybrids to replace senile and insect pest-infested coconut palms. However, most of these hybrids are sourced outside the region, entailing challenges in distribution and expansion.

The CAPSU program, “Utilization of the Coconut Germplasm Collection at the Coconut Breeding Trial Unit (CBTU) for the Advancement of Coconut Hybridization in Western Visayas,” was recently launched through an inception meeting organized by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) held in Roxas City, Capiz. 

Funded by DOST-PCAARRD through the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan’s (CFIDP) Coconut Hybridization Program (CHP) Research, the said program aims to revive CBTU as a duplicate gene bank of the Philippine Coconut Authority-Zamboanga Research Center (PCA-ZRC) and as a source of coconut hybrids in the region. The program, with three component projects, will be implemented under the overall leadership of Dr. Salvacion J. Legaspi of the Crop Science Research and Development Center (CSRDC), CAPSU-Burias Campus. 

The first component project will rehabilitate the CBTU and determine specific intercropping management practices for optimum yield performance. The second project seeks to utilize the CBTU germplasm collections for hybrid production in Visayas. Lastly, the third project aims to develop a hybrid coconut-based cropping system to sustain soil fertility and augment income in hybrid coconut farming. 

During the meeting, CAPSU President Editha C. Alfon shared that the partnership will advance sustainable development in coconut hybridization with concrete results and impact on coconut growers in the province and the whole region.

DOST-PCAARRD’s Crops Research Division (CRD) Program Development and Resource Generation Section (PDRGS) Assistant Head Ma. Cecilia S. Alaban assured the CAPSU team of the Council’s full support. 

Also present in the activity were CAPSU Vice President for Research Development and Extension Efren L. Linan, Research Director Leo Andrew B. Biclar, and representatives from the CAPSU Accounting Office. DOST Region VI Capiz Provincial Science and Technology (S&T) Director Juafe M. Abareles, PCA Region VI Regional Manager Neil J. Melencion, PCA Capiz Provincial Manager Andy O. Laurilla, and PCA CFIDP Project Management Office (PMO) representative Roy Benedict P. Peralta (via videoconferencing) also attended. 

The said activity was led by key CRD staff, including Ms. Alaban, Program Monitoring and Evaluation Section Interim Head Joel Norman R. Panganiban, and Industry Strategic S&T Program (ISP) Manager for Coconut Alissa Carol M. Ibarra, with support from Finance and Administrative Division (FAD) Budget Officer in Charge Susan L. Garcia and S&T Consultant Juanito B. Sangalang.

Following the inception meeting, the DOST-PCAARRD team visited the CBTU in CAPSU-Burias Campus, Mambusao, Capiz.

Collaborative efforts of the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD), DOST-Science Education Institute (SEI), and Texas Tech University (TTU) have reached a historic milestone through a ceremonial signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which highlights the PhilDOST-Texas Tech Doctoral Research and Mentoring Program. The MOU signing was held on March 25, 2024, at DOST-PCAARRD. 

This marks the beginning of a pioneering partnership to propel human resource development in agriculture through premier and cutting-edge post-graduate education and research training in the United States. 

The PhilDOST-Texas Tech Doctoral Research and Mentoring Program signifies a steadfast commitment to nurture top-tier human resources in agriculture specializing in plant genetics, genomics, and biotechnology. This visionary program will furnish promising Filipino doctoral candidates with unparalleled opportunities to engage in cutting-edge research under the mentorship of distinguished faculty members from TTU.

During the MOU signing ceremony, DOST-PCAARRD Executive Director Reynaldo V. Ebora expressed his enthusiasm for the collaboration, underlying its pivotal role in knowledge advancement and empowerment of future generations of researchers and scholars. He also highlighted the significance of international cooperation in attaining collective goals and shaping the future of scientific inquiry.

Dr. Ebora remarked, "This collaboration embodies the essence of international cooperation, harnessing the combined strengths and resources of the Philippines and the United States towards a shared objective: the advancement of knowledge and the empowerment of the next generation of researchers and scholars."

DOST-SEI Officer-in-Charge Albert G. Marino echoed Dr. Ebora's sentiments, emphasizing the program's pivotal contribution to fostering highly skilled human resources in vital agricultural domains. He underscored DOST-SEI’s unwavering support to comprehensive scholarships covering tuition fees, living stipends, travel expenses, and other benefits.

TTU Associate Department Chair for Research and Graduate Programs Benildo de los Reyes shared his zeal for the program and his enduring aspiration to enrich Philippine science and technology. He pledged hands-on mentorship for scholars, ensuring their journey towards tangible contributions that elevate scientific and technological standards in the Philippines.

The signing ceremony heralds a monumental milestone among  DOST-PCAARRD, DOST-SEI, and TTU, laying the groundwork for a mutually enriching collaboration that fosters sustainable development and economic prosperity poised to yield benefits for both countries.

The signing ceremony was witnessed by representatives from DOST-PCAARRD, including Deputy Executive Director for Administration, Resource Management and Support Services Melvin B. Carlos, Deputy Executive Director for Research and Development Juanito T. Batalon, Institution Development Division Director Fezoil Luz C. Decena, Policy Coordination and Monitoring Division Director Lilian G. Bondoc, Crops Research Division Director Leilani D. Pelegrina, Senior Science Research Specialist Jesselle S. Laranas, and the secretariat. 

Other notable attendees include DOST-SEI’s S&T Scholarship Division Chief Peter Gerry Gavina, International Rice Research Institute Consultant Casiana Vera Cruz, and University of the Philippines Los Baños Institute of Biological Sciences Associate Professor Nonnatus Bautista.

Forty researchers from various state universities and colleges (SUCs) and research and development institutions (RDIs) in Northern Mindanao and Caraga regions participated in the Coconut Hybridization Program (CHP) Research Component Regional Information Caravan and Proposal Writeshop held in Cagayan de Oro City.

The two-day activity organized by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) provided an opportunity for dialogue and collaboration with universities, research institutions, and the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA). The discussions centered on the current state of the local coconut industry, coconut hybridization research gaps vis-a-vis R&D topics and opportunities for R&D project funding through the CHP research.

Two representatives from PCA regional offices presented the state of Northern Mindanao and Caraga's coconut industry, highlighting the challenges and opportunities. They emphasized the need for increased local production to meet the demand for coconuts within the regions.

PCA Northern Mindanao Project Development Officer IV (PDO IV), Engr. Jose Danilo S. Ontalan shared that Northern Mindanao faces a deficit of 2.2 billion nuts per year due to low productivity in coconut farms, compelling processors to source from other regions. By increasing local production, he sees that the coastal region can be self-sufficient and raise its farmers' income.

Meanwhile, PCA Caraga PDO IV Jell Carphe C. Tamparong said that Caraga requires more than 600 million nuts to meet the regional demand for copra or whole nuts, Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO), young nuts, and planting materials.

The PCA representatives agreed that early-bearing and high yielding coconut varieties, like hybrids, can aid in closing the gap between total nut production and demand in both regions. They stressed the importance of supporting research and development (R&D) efforts to maximize the potential of these varieties.

Aside from regional situational reports, the Council also oriented the participants on the proposal submission, packaging processes, and guidelines.

A participant from North Eastern Mindanao State University (NEMSU) said that the writeshop helped potential proponents like her be acquainted with the DOST guidelines and proposal forms. She participated in the event intending to submit a proposal for funding and eventually help her local farmers through R&D initiatives. 

Other participants came from the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines-Claveria Campus (USTSP-Claveria), Central Mindanao University (CMU), Camiguin Polytechnic State College (CPSC), Northwestern Mindanao State College of Science and Technology (NMSCST), Mindanao State University-Lanao del Norte Agricultural College (MSU-LNAC), Northern Bukidnon State College (NBSC), Caraga State University (CSU), Surigao del Norte State University (SNSU), Agusan del Sur State College of Agriculture and Technology (ASSCAT), La Salle University-Ozamiz (LSU-Ozamiz), and Misamis University-Ozamiz (MU-Ozamiz). 

DOST Northern Mindanao representatives Jonathan R. Agbayani and Rubie Mae D. Fernandez also attended the activity, supporting the researchers in harmonizing their R&D efforts to uplift their region’s local coconut industry.

Industry Strategic S&T Program Manager for Coconut Alissa Carol M. Ibarra led the activity along with key personnel from the Crops Research Division. S&T Consultant Juanito B. Sangalang also joined to give technical recommendations to the proposal outputs of the participants.