The Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) awarded PhilRice the GADtimpala Silver for Outstanding Gender-Responsive Agency and the GADtimpala Bronze for the Exemplary GAD Focal Point System (GADtimpala AlaGAD) due to its commendable efforts in mainstreaming gender equality, diversity, and social inclusion. The GADtimpala selection committee, comprising representatives from national government agencies, acknowledged the Institute’s achievements in four areas: policy; people; enabling mechanisms; and programs, projects, and activities. The PCW evaluators […]

A graduate of a Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) training is on a mission to help transform community practices, believing that it is time for the farmers to embrace changes that will improve their harvest and encourage the youth to engage in agriculture. “It concerns me that the majority of our fellow rice farmers in the community are getting older. We, the youth, have to step forward and live up […]

Farmers in San Manuel, Pangasinan have resolved nutrient deficiencies in their rice fields with the learning gained from the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund Rice Extension Services Program (RESP). “[We didn’t know what was infecting our field]. We already applied all kinds of pesticides, insecticides, and herbicides but were not effective. We only learned that our field lacks zinc when the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) in Batac City and our […]

The Binhi e-Padala system of Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) Seed Program has improved the convenience for senior farmers in claiming certified inbred seeds from the program. Dominga Caranta, a 72-year-old farmer from Rosario, La Union, expressed her gratitude for the digital technology that eliminated the need for her to wake up early and skip breakfast to join the long queues for seed distribution. Through the Binhi e-Padala system, farmers […]

A personal calling is God’s blessing.  For Cesar Tolentino, farmer and partner-seed grower of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) Seed Program, he believes that his calling is to help fellow farmers achieve abundant harvest through better farm practices. This calling is a divine blessing that centers around the use of high-quality seeds. Cesar, former chair of the municipal committee on agriculture, in Surallah, South Cotabato, underwent RCEF training in […]

As one of the leading private universities in the country, Holy Angel University (HAU) shared its best practices on educating the public in a recent visit led by Dr. John C. de Leon, PhilRice executive director, HAU alumnus and recipient of the Order of Saint Gabriel Archangel Outstanding Achievement. The Pinatubo museum, Vicente Manansala collection, and the HAU history room were among the learning sites visited at HAU.

Farmer-cooperators in Buenavista, Quezon are now producing hybrid rice seeds resulting in an increased supply in Luzon. Acknowledged as first seed suppliers of Mestiso 20 (M20) in Luzon, members of the Hagonghong-Bucal Association Alex Simbajon and Buenavista Vice Mayor Rey Rivera are distributing seeds in the area. M20 seeds are usually bought from Mindanao. With a hectare seed production area in Buenavista, Quezon, Simbajon and Rivera ensures that their practices […]

Just before the recent announcement of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on the arrival of El Niño, the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) Seed Program has already delivered almost 2 million bags of certified seeds that included early-maturing varieties across the country.  Experts at the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) said early-maturing varieties are recommended during El Niño as these can be harvested before the drought intensifies so […]

As a contribution to the country’s bid for rice security, Korea’s Official Development Aid grants the Philippines with facilities that will improve the Philippine rice supply chain. Under the project, “Improving the rice supply chain to ensure quality of rice seeds and milled rice for distribution and buffer stocks in the Philippines,” Korea will allot USD 4.5M until 2026 to enhance rice seed distribution in the country. As one of […]

More than 6,000 farmers in CAR and Cagayan Valley have received certified seeds from the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund Program (RCEF) Seed Program for this wet season. Through Binhi e-Padala, farmers are pre-registered two months before seed distribution starts in September. Eligible farmers will only show their RCEF ID and claim their allotted seeds based on a set schedule. “For two minutes, we are already pre-registered! Choosing the variety to […]