With the goal of equipping researchers, policymakers, and students with evidence-based planning and decision making in the agriculture, aquatic, and natural resources (AANR) sector, the Satellite Socio-Economic and Data Analytics Center in the University of the Philippines Visayas (Satellite SERDAC-UPV) was enhanced through the support of the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD).
Satellite SERDAC-UPV is a regional socio-economic research and data analytics center (SERDAC) in Western Visayas and is part of Socio-Economic Research and Data Analytics Network (SERDAN), a collaborative network that aims to strengthen socio-economic research, data analytics, and policy-oriented knowledge generation. These centers serve as regional hubs for research, data management, capacity building, and policy support to enhance evidence-based planning and decision making.
The enhancements of the Satellite SERDAC-UPV include the procurement of additional ICT equipment, office furniture, and fixtures to strengthen operations; the conduct of 28 capacity-building training sessions that benefited 472 students and researchers; the establishment of new strategic partnerships; the continuous enhancement of the SERDAC-UPV data repository; and significant progress toward the center’s institutionalization.
Dr. Alice Ferrer, project leader of the Satellite SERDAC-UPV, shared that the University of the Philippines System has already endorsed a proposal institutionalize the Satellite SERDAC-UPV, with the project team aiming to complete the process by 2027. Once institutionalized, the center is expected to sustain and expand its role in generating and managing socio-economic data that support research, policy development, and evidence-based decision-making.
The center also has an ongoing collaboration with the Innovation for Poverty Action (IPA), which will provide the center with access to socio-economic data from thousands of households, further strengthening its research and data analytics initiatives.
The accomplishments of the Satellite SERDAC-UPV demonstrate the growing importance of institutionalized socio-economic research and data analytics in supporting evidence-based planning and decision-making. By strengthening partnerships, improving data accessibility, and sustaining the center beyond the project duration, the initiative contributes to more responsive research and development efforts for the AANR sector. These achievements also reflect the broader objectives of SERDAN in enhancing socio-economic research capacities and fostering collaboration among higher education institutions to support innovation and sustainable development.
As the project concludes, the team will continue pursuing the center’s institutionalization while further enhancing its data repository through the development of a dedicated software platform or website. It also plans to forge additional strategic partnerships and develop knowledge products that showcase its accomplishments and best practices to a wider audience.