Fondly called SJ by her colleagues and friends, Director Bernadette F. San Juan is currently and the first holder of the position of the National Organic Agriculture Program Coordinator.

Director SJ is a graduate of BS Geography from the University of the Philippines, Diliman and holds a Master’s degree in Education from the University of University of Asia and the Pacific. She is also a PhD candidate in Development Studies at the Dela Salle University. Her educational background has equipped her with the knowledge, skills and attitude needed
to perform the diverse assignments and jobs she has assumed in her professional journey, including as community development worker, researcher, trainer, academician, program
manager and head of office.

A dedicated and visionary professional, she has an extensive experience in agricultural and developmental program conceptualization and management. A public servant by heart, her career in the government involved being the Director at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA); consultant at the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR); and had various designations at the Department of Agriculture (DA) which included being Regional Technical Director (Calabarzon and Davao), Regional Executive Director (Eastern Visayas), Special Program Director (Special Area for Agricultural Development – SAAD), Component Head (PRDP-I-REAP), and Service Director (Agribusiness and Marketing and Field Operations).A conscientious leader, she has exhibited various qualities and capabilities as an effective and efficient program manager. As the former Program Director of the Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Program, she was able to turn the low performing program to be at par with the other DA programs. It became a very effective intervention that helped reduced poverty in the country as attested by the findings of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) in its review of the Program’s implementation in 2018.

Likewise, during her term as the Regional Executive Director of DA- Region VIII, she
received the prestigious Presidential GAWAD Career Executive Service Award for her
exemplary service in the rehabilitation of the agriculture sector in the Region after its
devastation from the Typhoon YOLANDA (Haiyan).

Fervently, Director SJ plays a significant role in the development and expansion of organic agriculture in the country. Exemplary are her efforts to build networks and relationships with all stakeholders in organic agriculture industry and her campaign for the institutionalization and provision of funds for organic agriculture at the local level.