Mariano Marcos
State University

Reg'l SEARCA Alumni Association elects MMSU CAFSD dean as VP

By Jareason Fabre

Dr. Charlie Batin, dean of the MMSU College of Agriculture, Food, and Sustainable Development (CAFSD), was elected Vice President of the Regional SEARCA Alumni Association (RSAA) during the SEARCA Scholars and Alumni Conference 2026 held on October 19–20, 2026, at the SEARCA Headquarters in Los Baños, Laguna.

Before he was elected Vice President, Dr. Batin served as the association's Public Relations Officer. He also presented a research paper titled "Effects of Thinning and Fertilization on the Growth, Yield, Biomass, and Soil Properties in a Bamboo-Agricultural Crop Agroforestry System" during the conference themed: SUSTAINing Southeast Asia’s Agricultural Futures,

Under the RSAA constitution and bylaws, Dr. Batin is expected to assume the presidency upon the completion of the current officers' term. The RSSA is currently led by DAAD-SEARCA Scholarship Alumnus, President of Maejo University President Dr. Weerapon Thongma.

Following his election, RSSA VP Batin expressed gratitude to the regional network, stating, "I am thankful to my fellow SEARCA alumni for their trust and confidence in my leadership. I look forward to working closely with our officers and members to strengthen our regional partnerships and promote sustainable agriculture throughout Southeast Asia." 

MMSU President and fellow SEARCA alumnus Dr. Virgilio Julius P. Manzano, Jr. extended heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Batin on his new role. He praised Dr. Batin’s leadership, noting the increased engagement of the CAFSD in various national and international activities.

Mariano Marcos State University is home to several SEARCA scholars. Among those who participated in the two-day gathering were Dr. Nathaniel Alibuyog, vice president for Research, Development, and Innovation, and Ms. Maria Cristina Pammit, chief of the Social Development Research Center.

📸 𝘔𝘔𝘚𝘜 𝘊𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘈𝘨𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦, 𝘍𝘰𝘰𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘚𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘋𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘱𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵

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