The Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice) Midsayap Station in North Cotabato is set to enhance the speed and security of its transactions, enabling faster approvals and improved support for rice farmers and partner agencies in the region through the upcoming use of digital certificates.
This follows the recent completion of a Digital Certificate Orientation by selected staff, conducted by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Region XII. The training introduced the Philippine National Public Key Infrastructure (PNPKI), a government system that provides secure electronic identities, allowing personnel to sign and verify documents electronically with full legal validity.
Once fully implemented, digital certificates will reduce delays caused by manual, paper-based processes and physical routing—especially benefiting field personnel and partners who frequently work remotely.
Faster document processing is expected to improve the timely delivery of technical assistance, training programs, and resources to rice farmers.
PhilRice Midsayap Director Dr. Sailila E. Abdula said the adoption of PNPKI aligns with national digital transformation goals and will strengthen the station’s digital security framework.
“This initiative will improve transparency, efficiency, and continuity of services for our stakeholders,” he said.
By integrating secure e-signature systems into daily operations, PhilRice Midsayap aims to keep pace with evolving government standards and better serve the needs of the rice farming communities.
