A local agricultural official in San Gabriel, La Union, reported a significant increase in the town’s average yield, following its participation in the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) PalaySikatan technology demonstration from the 2022 dry season to 2023 wet season. Municipal agriculturist Rizalina T. Quiros said that the town recorded a 1t/ha increase from 5.02 to 6.03t/ha. The RCEF site showcased national recommended varieties (NSIC Rc 222, Rc 216, and […]

Banna, Ilocos Norte —  Rice farmers here under the Rice Business Innovations System (RiceBIS) Program of Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) are set to receive free certified inbred seeds and access to advanced farming technologies from the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF). The RCEF Seed Program, in collaboration with the RiceBIS program, will establish a 6-hectare technology demonstration site in the upcoming 2024 dry season, showcasing RCEF inbred varieties and […]

With good results from the initial sites, La Union will soon establish a 24-ha technology demonstration site dubbed as PalaySikatan under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) Seed Program.  To be managed by Philippine Rice Research Institute in Batac City, Ilocos Norte, four towns will showcase the performance of NSIC Rc 510, Rc 508, Rc 480, Rc 160, Rc 402, Rc 222, and Rc 216.  These towns include Sudipen, Aringay, […]

Research, development, and administrative workers at the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) in Batac City, Ilocos Norte have improved their emergency response capabilities to safeguard clients and visitors during office or field emergencies. Spearheaded by the Philippine Red Cross, the training enhanced staff’s skills on standard first aid and CPR procedures. They completed their two-day training on July 12.

Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center stocks up on emergency blood supply with 15 volunteers from the Philippine Rice Research Institute in Batac City, Ilocos Norte on June 26. The donated blood units will be allocated to patients who are undergoing surgeries, receiving cancer treatment, managing chronic illnesses, or recovering from traumatic injuries.

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 […]

To empower women in rural communities and promote gender equality and inclusive society, a lecture on gender sensitivity in the RiceBIS Community in Rayuray, City of Batac was conducted today. Ms. Nataliza L. Llapitan of the Mariano Marcos State University, a Certified Region 1 GAD Resource Pool RGRP and Gender Mainstreaming and Monitoring System (GMMS) Focal Person was invited as the resource speaker. The lecture highlights the basic GAD concepts. […]

PalaySikatan, a technology demonstration under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement (RCEF) Fund Seed Program, has helped farmers improve their farm practices by introducing new rice varieties. Dexter Bacaniwas had been satisfied with NSIC Rc 480, his constant for more than two years. “I was not interested in shifting to the new varieties I heard from my fellow farmers because Rc 480 is drought-resistant, high-quality, and consistently performs well,” he said.  A […]

Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) – Seed Program farmer-beneficiaries in Region I reported that the free certified inbred seeds given to them significantly increased rice yield. Elvira Licudine, 68, from Bacnotan La Union, shared that her family was only harvesting 60 sacks of rice. However, when they became RCEF beneficiaries, their harvest had increased from 60 to 100 sacks.  “In spite of typhoon and water shortage in the previous cropping […]

The local government of Supiden, La Union has distributed free certified inbred seeds from the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) to 17 remote villages.  Zeny Corpuz, municipal agriculturist, said that they brought the seeds to the farmers to help them further save on resources going to the municipal hall to receive the rice seeds. “Farmers in these areas pay expensive fares to reach the town. We decided to help them […]