Celebrating the station’s dedication to rice farmers in Southwestern Mindanao, PhilRice Midsayap commemorated its 35th founding anniversary on July 10-14.
The week-long celebration featured a series of activities that highlighted the invaluable contribution of the station’s stakeholders to the continued success of its R4D initiatives and operations.
Festivities commenced with a tree-planting activity and the launching of an arboretum within the compound, as well as an outreach and feeding program benefiting students who came from rice-farming communities.
A knowledge-sharing and learning session also spiced up the celebration, empowering rice farmers from Bual Norte, the station’s host barangay, with valuable insights.
Looking ahead with determination, Dr. Sailila E. Abdula, branch director, said that the station is continuing its efforts in becoming more responsive to the needs of our rice stakeholders in Southwestern Mindanao.
“We hope to work harder with excellence and integrity for a more client-centric and collaborative rice R4D in this part of the country, to maintain our relevance for another 35 years and more,” he said.
Capping the celebration were the Palay Float Parade and the Dangal ng PhilRice Midsayap awards ceremony.
The parade and motorcade were participated in by the station’s staffers and partners from organizations such as Cotabato Agricultural Allied Services Cooperative, and the SIAM and LATERAL F Irrigators’ Associations that paraded artistic floats representing the rice plant’s growth stages.
During the Dangal ceremony, loyalty and service awardees, outstanding staffers, Pasasalamat awardees, and Director’s Award recipients were recognized.
The station also thanked its partner—the SOXAARRDEC (SOCCSKSARGEN Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources R&D Consortium)—for their profound contribution to the station’s achievements.
Established on July 12, 1988, PhilRice Midsayap was previously known as the Mindanao Rice and Corn Experiment Station.
