PH Congressional Delegation Advance PH-AU Cooperation on National Soil Health Strategy
Hon. Eddiebong Plaza (2nd from left) and Hon. Wilter Palma (leftmost) together with ACIAR CEO Professor Wendy Umberger (2nd from right) and ACIAR Research Program Manager for Soil and Land Management Dr. James Quilty. (Photo courtesy of Office of Hon. Eddiebong Plaza)
CANBERRA 21 December 2023 – Philippine Representative Eddiebong Plaza led a delegation composed of Rep. Alfel Bascug, Rep. Maria Angela Garcia, Rep. Wilter Palma, Rep. Christian Tell Yap, Agusan del Sur Governor Santiago Cane Jr., and Tarlac Governor Susan Yap to meet officials in Canberra and Queensland on 06 to 11 December 2023 to build cooperation on the development of the national soil health strategy.
Officials from the Department of Agriculture, including Undersecretary Agnes Catherine Miranda, the Department of Science and Technology, the local government of Ilocos Norte, Agusan del Sur, and Agusan Del Sur State College of Agriculture and Technology also participated in the study visit.
In Canberra, the delegation met officials from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) led by CEO Professor Wendy Umberger, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF), Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), and the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) to learn best practices from Australia’s National Soil Strategy and exchange views on soil innovation, information systems and analytical methods as well as soil-related investments.
Rep. Eddiebong Plaza noted the opportunities and challenges in developing the country’s own national soil health strategy and the need to pursue science-based approaches in its agricultural practices.
He also referred to the MOU between the Philippines and Australia on furthering cooperation on the national soil health strategy signed during the meeting between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Prime Minister Albanese in Manila in September 2023. Rep. Plaza highlighted the success of the First Philippine Soil Health Summit held in Manila in June 2023 which sparked a national conversation on the role of soil science in agriculture.
Philippine Ambassador to Australia Ma. Hellen B. De La Vega welcomed the delegation at the Official Residence where they discussed developments in the bilateral cooperation on soil science.
The delegation visited Brisbane and met representatives from Griffith University to learn more about soil science research and development. END
The Philippine delegation led by Hon. Eddiebong Plaza (seated, center), Hon. Maria Angela Garcia, (seated, leftmost), Hon. Wilter Palma (3rd row, 4th from left), Hon. Alfel Bascug (3rd row, 3rd from left), Hon. Christian Tell Yap (3rd row, 2nd from left), Agusan del Sur Governor Santiago Cane Jr. (seated, rightmost), DA Undersecretary Agnes Catherine Miranda (1st row, 3rd from left), officials from the DA, DOST, local government of Agusan del Sur and the Agusan Del Sur State College of Agriculture and Technology together with Professor Wendy Umberger (seated, 2nd from left, ACIAR Research Program Manager for Soil and Land Management Dr. James Quilty (seated, 2nd from right), and officials from DFAT, DCCEW, DAFF and CSIRO. (Photo credit: Office of Hon. Eddiebong Plaza)
Philippine Ambassador to Australia Ma. Hellen De La Vega (seated, center) welcomes the Philippine delegation led by Hon. Eddiebong Plaza (seated, 3rd from left) to the Official Residence. (Photo credit: Office of Hon. Eddiebong Plaza)
For more information, visit https://www.philembassy.org.au or https://www.facebook.com/PHinAustralia/.