Written by the Web Team
With awards achieved this year, the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) remains to be a leading research institute in the country.
During the Institute`s awarding ceremonies on Nov. 6, executive director Eufemio T. Rasco Jr, lauded about 40 most outstanding staff. 
The award ceremonies are part of PhilRice 28th anniversary.
“Congratulations to the outstanding employees who are recognized today….This year alone, we have achieved three national awardees, four international best poster awards, eight best poster national awards, two best paper international awards, and three best paper national awards,” Rasco said.
He also recognized the awardees for receiving two best poster awards given by the National Academy of Science and Technology, the most prestigious scientific recognition body in the country. In the competition, more than a hundred posters in each category were judged from research and academic disciplines.
The executive director on his second year said that PhilRice probably have the highest number of nationally recognized scientists in this country. In publications, researches of 28 teams made it in scientific journals; a 47 percent increase from the total of 2012. More than 100 titles are also in stages of preparation for publication.
“On this anniversary, we come to realize how far we have gone and take pride in retaining our position as a leading research institute in this country. But let us not forget that the challenges ahead are far greater than what we have faced so far,” he said.
One of the challenges is for the published researches to reach the farmers and consumers.
“[Your major task is to bring new ways of thinking and farming to our clienteles and the public]. And so, this National Year of Rice, the campaign team promoted to the public a new way of helping the country achieve rice self-sufficiency; that the public too has responsibility. Consumers can help the country by not wasting rice, eat brown rice, and try eating balanced diet,” he said in Filipino.
Through the campaign, Rasco said that the Department of Agriculture has increased the public`s awareness on playing their role. However, he said that behavioral change is still needed for the country to have enough rice supply and sustain it.
“If awareness is a measure of success, we can claim success. Unfortunately, awareness is just the first step. We will need the support of all sectors of our society [for the public to change their rice eating habits for their own health and country`s welfare],” he said.
