Pasig City, 30 July 2025 — The Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP) formally welcomed Dr. Leocadio S. Sebastian as its Acting President and Chief Executive Officer, during a ceremonial oath-taking held at the DAP Building in Pasig City.

The event followed the Regular Meeting of the DAP Board of Trustees, chaired by Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan, who also serves as Chair of the Board. He was joined by DEPDev Undersecretary Melbourne D. Pana and DAP Trustees from the Civil Service Commission, Office of the President, Department of Agrarian Reform, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and Department of Finance.

Dr. Sebastian took his oath after the reading of his official appointment paper from the Office of the President, which designates him as Acting President and CEO, and Acting Trustee of the Board, effective .

A plant breeder by training, Dr. Sebastian holds a Ph.D. in Plant Breeding and Genetics from Cornell University and earned his BS and MS degrees in biology/genetics from the University of the Philippines Los Baños.

He is also a Career Executive Service Officer I and an Academician of the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST-Philippines).

Dr. Sebastian brings extensive experience from the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) research ecosystem. He served as Regional Director for Bioversity International in Asia-Pacific, was involved in the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) in Southeast Asia, and he was the International Rice Research Institute’s representative in Vietnam. His work spans climate-smart agriculture, rice breeding, genetics, and sustainable food systems.

In the Philippine public sector, he previously served as Undersecretary for Rice Industry Development and Undersecretary for Research and Extension at the Department of Agriculture, and as Executive Director of PhilRice. He has authored scientific publications on rice breeding, pest management, agronomy, genetic diversity, and climate resilience.

Earlier this month, he was named an Academician of NAST, the country’s premier science and technology advisory body.

With his dual strengths as a distinguished plant breeder and seasoned public sector leader, Dr. Sebastian is well-positioned to steer DAP toward fostering agile, innovation-driven institutions that support sustainable and inclusive national development.