Concepcion to keynote agri symposium today

Noted businessman Jose Ma. Concepcion III will be the keynote speaker at the awarding ceremony of the 2007 National Symposium on Agriculture and Resources Research and Development (NSARRD) today.

The research forum will be convened by the Los Baños-based Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCARRD) at the InterContinental Manila Hotel in Makati City.

The NSARRD will be held in the morning while the awarding ceremony will be in the afternoon.

Theme of the daylong activities is “PCARRD at 35: Strategic Alliances and Focused S&T for Competitive AFNR Products and Services.”

Concepcion, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of the RFM Corp., will present the NSARRD’s Best R&D Papers awards to the winners. He will be assisted by DOST Secretary Estrella F. Alabastro and PCARRD Executive Director Patricio S. Faylon.

The NSARRD will coincide with the observance of PCARRD’s 35th year.

PCARRD started as the Philippine Council for Agricultural Research (PCAR), which was created on Nov. 10, 1972 through the issuance by then President Marcos of Presidential Decree No. 48.

It was renamed Philippine Council for Agriculture and Resources Research (PCARRD) and further to Philippine Council for Agriculture and Resources Research and Development (PCARRD). It is now known as Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development. – Rudy A. Fernandez