Championing the cause of global sustainability, Naga College Foundation, Inc. (NCF), led by Mr. Mario C. Villanueva, NCF President, engaged in a strategic mission to Japan from January 18 to 20, 2026, to solidify its partnerships with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Deloitte Tohmatsu Group, and Sumitomo Corporation.
Central to this diplomatic visit was the presentation of the institution’s Net Zero Policy Framework, a pioneering roadmap designed to integrate carbon neutrality into the core operations, community and industry linkages, and educational philosophy of NCF.
NCF earned the distinction of being the sole academic institution from the Philippines selected for this diplomatic visit, underscoring its role as a national leader in climate-resilient education.
It can be recalled that in September 2025, NCF officially became part of the JICA’s Quality and Empowerment through Sustainable Transformation (QUEST) program—an achievement that, according to the Center for Research, Training, and Development (CRTD), “marks a significant milestone for the Bicol Region as we embark on a Proof of Concept (PoC) to introduce a Net Zero Framework.”
The inclusion of NCF in the QUEST program paved the way for a partnership with the Agrabah Ventures dubbed the QUEST Co-Creation Project, which targets the development of a Net Zero Policy Framework. CRTD emphasized that the Net Zero Framework “does more than just measure emissions… [but also] sets the stage for a transformative approach where communities benefit from a climate finance solution where businesses offset their emissions while directly supporting sustainable livelihoods.”
JICA’s QUEST program “provides a platform for co-creation between innovators, local partners, and global experts… [and] ensures that promising ideas are not only tested but also scaled and sustained for long-term impact,” CRTD explained.
Aiming to personally track the progress of the QUEST Co-Creation Project, representatives from JICA and the Deloitte Tohmatsu Group visited the Philippines in November 2025.
The field mission included meetings with Hon. Leni Robredo, the Naga City Mayor, and other local chief executives in the fourth district of Camarines Sur, as well as an inspection of five seaweed farms that served as key sites for the PoC.
On December 6, 2025, Dr. Regina Valencia, CRTD Lead Researcher, took the international podium at the 10th International Congress on Engineering Sciences and Multidisciplinary Approach in Istanbul, Turkey.
During the congress, Dr. Valencia presented the paper ‘Framework for a Localized, Verifiable Net Zero Policy: Address to the Invisible Climate Crisis,’ and highlighting the groundbreaking research conducted under the JICA Co-Creation Program.
Bringing the impact closer to Filipino people, the QUEST Co-Creation Project was presented to the office of Hon. Nelson S. Legacion, Representative of the Third District of Camarines Sur, before the end of 2025. During this formal presentation, the Net Zero Policy Framework Toolkit and the draft of the proposed National Net Zero Bill were officially submitted “with the hope of advancing climate-responsive legislation at the national level.”
According to President Villanueva, as NCF steadfastly strengthens its ties with various international institutions, it continues to usher “globally-linked opportunities for every NCean.”