Provincial and local chief executives in 55 provinces and in almost 1,000 municipalities are spearheading the immediate turn-over of certified inbred seeds to the rice farmers with the onset of the wet season. “In these trying times, we’ve seen the importance of farmers [in ensuring enough rice for our province]. This is why we’re extending to them all our support the best way we can, such as providing them access […]

After three years of service as acting executive director of Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), Dr. Sailila E. Abdula is assigned assistant secretary for Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). He will serve in concurrent capacity as Director I of PhilRice Midsayap effective Sept. 16. As part of his new duties, Agriculture Sec. Dr. William Dar, said that the multi-awarded rice breeder from North Cotabato will harmonize rice programs […]

The Department of Agriculture (DA) urges individual farmers to enlist in the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA) and join organizations to access agriculture-related programs and services including the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF). Under the Rice Tariffication Law (RA 11203), eligible RCEF beneficiaries include farmers, farmworkers, and their dependents who are listed in the RSBSA –an electronic database containing basic information of farmers and fisherfolks, and members […]

Dr. William Dar, acting Department of Agriculture secretary, had recognized the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) as a lead agency in research during his recent visit at the Institute’s Central Experiment Station in Science City of Munoz, Nueva Ecija. “I’ve [already said this] and I will always mention that the number 1 research institute in the country, comparing any research institute, is PhilRice. [This is not to flatter you. I […]

Dr. William D. Dar, acting agriculture secretary, stressed the inclusion of the private sector and the local government units in empowering farmers’ groups and for agricultural development to “stand the test of time.” “We are sowing the seed; we are laying down a strong foundation of the kind of agriculture that we want to be. [To do this], we want to have more engagement with the farmers’ associations and cooperatives. […]

Hybrid rice farmers and seed growers can now quickly assess seed purity with the addition of a new trait in Mestiso 20 (M20), a public hybrid rice variety. To assess seed purity as early as seedling stage, PhilRice researchers have introduced purple coloration on the leaf sheaths of the male parents of M20 while keeping the other traits intact. As hybrids are generated through outcrossing of two different rice lines, […]

Prospects of growing hybrid rice is shown to the farmers southwest of Manila in a 35.8-ha demonstration farm at Brgy. Malad, Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro. Launched during the 9th National Rice Technology Forum (NRTF), Aug. 8, the demo farm features  Mestiso 20 (M20), one of the 25 hybrid rice varieties, and three inbred varieties –NSIC Rc  216, Rc 506, and Rc 222. Recher Ondap, president of the Rice Board, said through […]

Dr. William Dollente Dar, acting secretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA), bares “new thinking” as strategy to achieve four-fold agriculture growth and double farmers’ income. In his acceptance speech early this week, Dar, who have served as the DA secretary from 1998 to 1999, noted that Philippine agriculture, for the past decade, only grew 1.1% annually, while population has been increasing at 1.8% yearly. “We are faced with the […]

Experts from the plant industry are intensifying quarantine and pest-risk analysis (PRA) procedures to protect consumers and farmers from the entry of unsafe imported rice and palay. “PRA is a very important part of the pre-border quarantine to identify risks associated from commodities imported to our country like palay. This is to avoid the threats of pests and seed-borne diseases from other countries,” said Gerald Glen F. Panganiban, Bureau of […]

The Civil Service Commission (CSC) grants bronze award to the Philippine Rice Research Institute Human Resource and Management Office (HRMO) recognizing its excellence in human resource management systems, practices, and competencies of government agencies. The award, which was under the Program to Institutionalize Meritocracy and Excellence in Human Resource Management (PRIME-HRM), evaluated government agencies in terms of four core areas—recruitment, selection, and placement; learning and development; performance management; and rewards […]