SEARCA, DepEd Palawan strengthen upscaling strategy for SHGBEE Project in Busuanga Island

CORON, Philippines—The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), in partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd) Schools Division Office of Palawan, successfully held a three-day workshop to develop an upscaling strategy and conduct the end-of-project evaluation for the School-plus-Home Gardens cum Biodiversity Enhancement and Enterprise (SHGBEE) project in Busuanga Island.

The event, held from 23 to 25 September 2025, convened 32 participants, including local government unit representatives, school heads, principals, and focal persons for the Gulayan sa Paaralan Program (GPP) from both pilot and adopted schools across the island.

Coron Municipal Agriculture Committee Chair Ma. Aurora Riceli Balbutan opened the workshop with a message of support, commending the project’s achievements and emphasizing sustained collaboration with SEARCA. Christine Heidi Garcellano, Public Schools District Supervisor of Coron Inland District, underscored the importance of knowledge sharing and collective planning for the project’s long-term success. Anna Gale Vallez, Program Specialist at SEARCA’s Research and Thought Leadership Department, provided an overview of project milestones and facilitated the workshop.

Throughout the sessions, participants reviewed key accomplishments under SHGBEE and took part in activities designed to ensure sustainability. Capacity-building sessions featured the introduction of the Business Model Canvas—a strategic management tool—to help participants map key partners, resources, and distribution channels vital for scaling project initiatives. The workshop also introduced the Personal Entrepreneurial Competencies (PECs) framework to enhance entrepreneurial mindsets, innovation, and self-awareness, supporting the application of entrepreneurial skills for improved project implementation and sustainability.

Participants were additionally reoriented on the monitoring and evaluation tool to assess the performance of school gardens. SEARCA is working towards standardizing this tool, with the aim of securing approval and institutional adoption by the DepEd Central Office.

The workshop concluded with participants sharing reflections and singing a community song that symbolized their joint commitment to sustain and expand the SHGBEE Project. As highlighted by Balbutan, the gathering reaffirmed the strong partnership among SEARCA, DepEd, local governments, and the communities of Busuanga Island to advance food security, education, and biodiversity conservation.