On June 23, 2025, the University of Santo Tomas officially became one of the seven founding members of the National Capital Region Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources (AANR) Research and Development (R&D) Consortium, which was spearheaded by the Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD).
In a June 10, 2025 letter, the Rector, Very Rev. fr. Richard G. Ang, O.P., PhD, called the new consoritum a “mechanism for collaborative planning, innovation alignment, resource sharing, and inclusive development in support of the AANR sectors.” The Rector described joining the AANR consortium to be of “strategic importance” and one that will strength “inter-institutional collaboration and [optimize] regional resources”.
As a founding member, UST will actively contribute to the achievement of the Consortium’s goals by sharing institutional expertise, research outputs, and capabilities. It will likewise help chart the new Consortium’s programs and activities aligned with DOST-PCAARRD and the Department’s strategic pillars.
The new Consortium is composed of UST, Adamson University, Colegio de Muntinlupa, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Quezon City University, Technological Institute of the Philippines, and the Technological University of the Philippines. Attending the signing ceremony was Assoc. Prof. Michael Jorge N. Peralta, MS, Executive Assistant for Intellectual Property and Research of the Office of the Vice-Rector for Research and Innovation and Manager of the Innovation Technology Support Office.
