One fine afternoon, while German Pangilinan was resting on his hammock after a whole day of farm work, he decided to send a message in the PhilRice Text Center (PTC) to know more about NSIC Rc 438. Who would have thought that this simple act would save him from totally losing all his investments in his 3-ha rice area? “I was introduced to new varieties when my farm became a […]

There was just a farmer’s son; now he’s a scientist. Dr. Ricardo F. Orge had been developing technologies for the farmers for 25 years, which led to awards and acclamations. Amidst his success, he wants to be remembered as Scientist na anak ng magsasaka (Farmer’s son). Popularly known as Dong, his inventions focus on climate-change, which includes finding ways on how to help Filipino farmers overcome the challenges of climate […]

Early in 2015 the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Service Administration officially announced the onslaught of El Niño in the Philippines that caused drastic decline in crop production. Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority shows that rice and corn alone respectively fell by 818,000 and 251,800 mt that year compared in 2014. Losses were also recorded in sugarcane, coffee, tobacco, onion, cabbage, and rubber. It was one of the strongest […]

Who loves tedious work? Feliciana Cortez loves everything about her task as laboratory aide at PhilRice Central Central Experiment Station. She does laboratory chores, seeding, transplanting, and collecting study samples, which are tagged as dirty works in the research field. Ate Fely to her peers is the Most Outstanding Laboratory Worker during the 2017 Dangal ng PhilRice award. At 46, she never imagined to receive such recognition.   Outstanding worker […]

Filipinos’ love for rice is unlimited. Despite the need to include other high value crops in our health, Filipino families prioritize rice in the food expenses.  For families living below the poverty line, having rice on the table is enough as they cannot afford a diverse diet to meet their nutritional needs due to rising food prices. “Rice intake was lowest among the richest households and highest among poor households,” […]

The public should learn more about Vitamin A deficiency (VAD), know its causes and effects, and understand the process behind possible ways on how to prevent it. According to the Department of Health, the annual observance of the Sight-Saving Month targets to warn the public about avoidable blindness and inform them on how to properly take care of their eyes especially through proper nutrition. VAD is one of the leading […]

Farmers’ worries during rainy season may soon be reduced with the development of a line that is resistant against bacterial leaf blight (BLB), one of the most destructive rice diseases occurring during continuous heavy rains. Developed by the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), Line 27 (PR37171-1-1-1-2-2-1-1) withstood attacks of major BLB races found in the country. Ronalyn T. Miranda, PhilRice science research specialist, said Line 27 has broad-spectrum resistance to […]

Mestizo 1 (PSB Rc72H) lingers on Dumon Mabborang’s mind – irreplaceable and undeniably better than the others. Mabborang, 63, of Buan West, Solana, Cagayan first planted it in 2003. A technician from DA convinced him to try the variety. Until now, he is still an avid fan of Mestizo 1. Mestizo 1 still Mabborang asserts the variety has better eating quality than most inbreds. “When cooked, it is soft, aromatic, […]

To increase agricultural productivity, 19 participants from Africa along with 11 Filipino farmers undergo a two-month training at Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) in Maligaya, Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija, starting Aug. 6. Jason Beebout, project leader for Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)-International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) Collaboration on Training for Sub-Saharan countries, said the internationally-funded activity is hoped to help in achieving food security in this southern of […]

Researchers at Philippine Rice Research Institute in San Mateo, Isabela gear on developing and implementing gender-responsive projects in rice farming communities.