It brings us honour to host for the first time the International Meeting of the Asian Network of Research Resource Centers here in the Philippines, and to hold it in the beautiful campus of the University of the Philippines Los Baños, amidst the verdant Mount Makiling and majestic Laguna Lake.

We are excited for your participation which collectively highlights the important ongoing and trend-leading programs across Asia and the world. This year’s theme focuses on the responsible use and management of biological resources. It is timely and important as the Philippines is among the world’s megadiverse countries and a critically important hotspot for biological diversity.

On behalf of the Museum of Natural History, I extend warm greetings to all the participating resource research centers, and we hope that your stay in UPLB will be fruitful and memorable. We also hope that your participation would contribute to development of local research in the Philippines, inspire many early-career researchers and students, and contribute to development of the country’s research agenda and be able to complement leading programs around Asia and the Pacific.

We trust that this 11th ANRRC meeting will provide an opportunity for various research institutions to update on current trends, rekindle cooperation, and to foster new collaborations between the participating resource centers.