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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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, […]

Rice farmers tend to change variety every cropping season. Jesus Nibres, 65, of Davao Del Norte considers many factors before trying and planting a specific variety. With almost four decades of experience in rice production, Mang Jesus is keen on recommending varieties. For him, a variety has to be high-yielding, resilient, and resistant to major pests and diseases. All these and more are the characteristics found in Mestiso 20 (M20), […]

With limited personnel at PhilRice’s satellite station in Samar, Riena D. Namoc has learned how to do various tasks and mastered the art of transitioning from one work to another.

German Pangilinan, 60, of Santo Rosario, Zaragoza, Nueva Ecija experienced farming success with NSIC Rc 160, a rice variety developed by PhilRice. But success was not easy for this farmer for 35 years.  Mang German started farming his half hectare farm after graduating from Agricultural Engineering.  Due to diligence and perseverance, he was able to increase his farm into two hectares. “There are times when unfortunate circumstances happen like calamities […]

The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) mourns the passing of its founding father, former Senator Edgardo Javier Angara, one of the country’s greatest statesmen. PhilRice records show that then UP System President Angara in early 1985 convened and led the committee that brainstormed the idea of establishing a national rice research center. “I think the Philippines took for granted the need to have our own research on rice because IRRI […]