Cabinet Secretary Karlo Alexei Nograles is supporting Golden Rice in line with DA-PhilRice’s response in combating malnutrition problems in the country under its Healthier Rice Project. Golden Rice is an additional intervention to combat vitamin A deficiency. Healthier Rice Project Lead Reynante Ordonio updated Secretary Nograles and his staff on Golden Rice during a virtual technical briefing on April 14. Nograles invited the team to conduct another briefing for the […]

DA-PhilRice Executive Director John C. de Leon (left) commended security guard Angelito R. Batocabe (in white uniform) for returning a lost bag to its rightful owner on March 16.  The owner accidentally dropped the bag while on a motorcyle ride en route to Cabanatuan City. Batocabe was already off-duty when he answered the owner’s mobile phone call left inside the bag. Security Detachment Commander Roger S. Manzano and Nicolas T. […]

One hundred farmer-students in Buenavista, Agusan del Norte were trained in February-March on proper pest management under a Modified Farmer Field School (FFS) approach. They were taught that the health of a plant is determined by its environment that includes soil nutrients, pests, diseases and weeds. Meanwhile, 20 agriculture graduates from universities and colleges in Mindanao were thoroughly oriented about the PalayCheck System and Palayamanan Plus during a Rice Boot […]

The Sangguniang Bayan of San Miguel, Surigao del Sur passed a resolution authorizing a tripartite agreement on the establishment of an Integrated Rice Techno Demo and Training Center in the municipality. The agreement involves DA-PhilRice Agusan, Surigao del Sur State University (SSDSU), and Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation. Meeting above are (from left) SSDSU Pres. Dr. Baceledes R. Estal, Vice Mayor RolMar F. Basalan, and Agusan Branch Director Dr. Caesar Joventino […]

Farmers in the areas of coverage of our stations are gaining new knowledge on rice production technologies.  In Agusan, 130 farmers have graduated from the RCEF Farmer Field School-PalayCheck System, an integrated crop management and production guide, which also promotes experiential group learning that presents best technologies and practices as KeyChecks.  In Laguna, farmers were educated on Minus-One-Element Technique (MOET), a nutrient management technology developed byLos Baños station, production of […]

About 3,000 farmers in Caraga Region are expected to “climate-proof” their farms with the learnings they will get from a school-on-the-air (SOA) program on climate change adaptation.  The program will be aired in five provinces starting this May and will broadcast PhilRice-developed contents translated in the Visayan language.  The SOA will be pursued in partnership with the DA-Caraga Regional Agriculture and Fisheries Information Service, Agricultural Training Institute-Regional Training Center 13, […]

A proposed data analytic model called RiceLytics will soon enable DA-PhilRice to determine the state of the country’s rice industry, monitor and evaluate its RCEF programs, and characterize the Filipino farmers.  Upon its completion in 2022, “RiceLytics will enable online users to obtain data on rice area, production, yield per hectare, self-sufficiency, consumption, and future performance requirements at national, regional, provincial, and city/municipal levels,” proponent Nehemiah L. Caballong said.  Such […]

Farm Service Center will be operationalized at our Central Experiment Station (CES) starting this June 1 to centralize our farm operations and manage our expanding farm machinery and facilities.  Under the new setup, the Physical Plant (PPD) and Rice Engineering and Mechanization Divisions (REMD) will jointly oversee the center in implementing scheduled farm activities.  Executive Director John C. de Leon said that the joint supervision will enable PPD to ensure […]

Former DA-PhilRice Executive Director Santiago R. Obien (SRO) urged Batac staff to “continuously lift the burdens of the poor farmers” during the station’s 22nd anniversary celebration.  Obien, who served as the Institute’s first director in 1986-2000, said that the station’s success depends on whether it had managed to raise the harvest and income of the rice farmers. As stipulated in the Institute’s strategic plan, the station is expected to improve […]

Our branch station in Isabela is eyeing an International Organization for Standardization 9001 (ISO 9001) Quality Management System (QMS) certification to affirm the station’s quality product and processes and its credibility as a public service provider.  Hazel Jane M. Orge, Integrated Management Systems and Services Office (IMSSO) head, has briefed sectoral coordinators and staff on certification requirements and preparation. (Aileen Shaye C. Fontanilla)