THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) continued to strengthen its research capabilities and intellectual exchanges by recently signing separate memoranda of understanding with the Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC) and the Philippine-American Educational Foundation (PAEF)—Fulbright.
“The joint undertakings with ACPC and PAEF-Fulbright affirm the BSP’s commitment to strengthen its research collaboration with the academe, as well as with domestic and foreign research institutions, as part of the central bank’s broader efforts to enhance research for policy initiatives,” BSP Governor Benjamin E. Diokno was quoted in a statement as saying.
Under their MoU, the BSP and the ACPC will widen and enrich their intellectual and financial resources and provide an evidence-based approach for program and policy formulation on sustainable agricultural credit services and programs. Given ACPC’s broad understanding and experience with agricultural credit and rural finance-related issues and policies, the collaboration will enrich BSP research in these areas, the central bank’s statement said.
Meanwhile, the BSP said its MoU with PAEF-Fulbright is seen to improve the legal, scientific and technical capabilities of the BSP through educational and training programs. Said partnership will establish the general framework for facilitating the grant of scholarships and training programs; as well as the conduct of educational exchanges under the BSP’s capacity-building and research initiatives.
BSP’s MoU with ACPC was signed by Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary William D. Dar as represented by DA Undersecretary Leocadio S. Sebastian and ACPC Executive Director Jocelyn Alma R. Badiola. On the other hand, BSP’s MoU with PAEF was signed by PAEF Acting Honorary Chairman John C. Law and PAEF Board Chairperson Philip W. Roskamp.