Dr. Mercedita Castro Agcaoili-Sombilla is the 12th and first woman Center Director of SEAMEO SEARCA, assuming office on 1 April 2025. A distinguished economist, she brings decades of experience in agricultural and regional development from her extensive career in research and further enriched by hands-on-experience gained from holding various positions in national, regional, and international institutions.
Before joining SEARCA as the Center Director, Dr. Sombilla served as Undersecretary for Policy, Planning, and Regulations at the Philippine Department of Agriculture and as Undersecretary of the Regional Development Group at the National Economic and Development Authority (now the Department of Economy, Planning and Development or DEPDev). She held key research and managerial positions at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), and even at SEARCA as Manager of its Consulting Services Department (now Project Development and Technical Services Unit) and the Research and Development Department (now the Research and Thought Leadership Department). Her work engagement enabled her to work in various countries especially in Asia.
Beyond government and academia, Dr. Sombilla has provided consultancy services to major development institutions, including the Asian Development Bank (ADB), World Bank, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and International Development Research Centre of Canada (IDRC).