PhilRice Magazine 2010 4Q by Philippine Rice Research Institute

Binhi Agri Magazine of the Year (2009) Binhi Hall of Fame Awardee (2007) Gawad Florendo Awardee (2001) A quarterly publication of the Philippine Rice Research Institute Vol.23 No.4 ISSN 0117-0376 October to December 2010

About the Cover Beyond the glitter of precious jewelry, silver symbolizes strength and integrity – a testament to having withstood the test of time. On the 25th anniversary of PhilRice, elements are kept simple and elegant- just the bare essentials. A panicle of rice heavy with grain to speak of PhilRice’s commitment to the country’s rice sufficiency and the title – PhilRice at 25 and beyond to remind us all of the momentous journey and to help us look forward to a shining future.

http://www.philrice.gov.ph

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The editors encourage readers to photocopy and circulate published articles with proper acknowledgment. Everyone is also invited to contribute articles to this magazine (600-800 words plus at least four photos/illustrations with credits). You may likewise suggest topics, or refer individuals and organizations engaged in rice and rice-based activities whose stories are worth featuring. Please email ablanuza@email.philrice.gov.ph or by mail to:

THE EDITOR PhilRice Magazine Development Communication Division Philippine Rice Research Institute, Maligaya Science City of Muñoz, 3119 Nueva Ecija

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PhilRice: Feel the Rise Greetings PhilRice Builds up Infra More RSOs Deployed by October Varieties Best for Brown Rice Now Known Save Rice, Enough Rice Panatang Makapalay (Save Rice, Save Lives Pledge) Be Wise with PinoyRice Climate Forecast Bulletin A PhilRice Laborer’s Other Rewards This Woman is an Improved Rice Farmer Big in Number, Rich in Knowledge [Re]Brewing Rice Coffee LSTD at Work for Rice Sufficiency The Silver Harvest He Sowed the Seeds of PhilRice Re-telling the PhilRice Story Branching Out to Produce More Rice Alam N’yo Ba? Procy Steps Up DA Plate Corporate Strategic Plan Now in Place Speaking of PhilRice Magtanong sa mga Eksperto New Knowledge Products Greetings

Volume 23 No. 4•October-December 2010 Website: www.philrice.gov.ph•PhilRice Text Center: 0920-911-1398

Consulting Editors CONSTANTE T. BRIONES•ANSELMO A. ROQUE•Managing Editors HANAH HAZEL MAVI M. BIAG, CHRISTINA G. ABADILLA-FREDILES Contributors ELMER D. ALOSNOS•ELLA LOIS T. BESTIL•HANAH HAZEL MAVI M. BIAG•CHRISTINA ABADILLA-FREDILES•JEZEREEL LOUISE C. BILLANO•ALFRED FRANCO T. CABALLERO•CHARISMA LOVE B. GADO•EDUARDO JIMMY P. QUILANG•EV A. PARAC•MA. ADRIELLE D. SOLSOLOY•ANDREI B. LANUZA• CATHERINE S. JIMENEZ Design and Layout ALFRED FRANCO T. CABALLERO•Circulation AMOR VIRDI G. ACOSTA Editorial Advisers RONILO A. BERONIO•KAREN ELOISA T. BARROGA•ANDREI B. LANUZA PhilRice Stations: Central Experiment Station Maligaya, Science City of Muñoz, 3119 Nueva Ecija•Trunklines: (44) 456-0258; -0277, -0285•Email: prri@email.philrice.gov.ph PhilRice Agusan Basilisa, RTRomualdez, 8611 Agusan del Norte•Tel: (85) 818-4477; 343-0778•Tel/Fax: 343-0768•Email: agusan@email.philrice.gov.ph PhilRice Batac MMSU Campus, Batac, 2906 Ilocos Norte•Tel/Fax: (77) 792-2545, -4702•Email: batac@email.philrice.gov.ph PhilRice Isabela Malasin, San Mateo, 3318 Isabela•Tel: (78) 664-2954 • Tel/Fax: 664-2953•Email: san_mateo@email.philrice.gov.ph PhilRice Los Baños UPLB Campus, Los Baños, 4030 Laguna•Tel: (49) 536-3633• -8620•501-1917•Email: los_banos@email.philrice.gov.ph PhilRice Midsayap Bual Norte, Midsayap, 9410 North Cotabato•Tel: (64) 229-8178 • Tel/Fax: 229-7242•Email: midsayap@email.philrice.gov.ph PhilRice Negros Cansilayan, Murcia, 6129 Negros Occidental•Cell: 0928-506-0515•Email: negros@email.philrice.gov.ph PhilRice Field Office CMU Campus, Maramag, 8714 Bukidnon•Tel/Fax: (88) 222-5744

PhilRice:

Feel the Rise

hilRice has come a long way. From the birth pains of beginning to hold office in a condemnable building– to a well-established and respected Institute, as noted by Dr. M.S. Swaminathan, former directorgeneral of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI); that’s something, to say the least. Not gold. It’s silver. To be exact, Swaminathan said in the late 1980s, “PhilRice deserves our congratulations on becoming within such a short time a world leader in research, capacity-building, and extension.” The pioneers of the Institute may recall that it was not easy to build research and training facilities. Thanks to Dr. Santiago Obien, first executive director, who campaigned hard to secure the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) grant-in-aid for the construction of PhilRice facilities. Getting the aid in full was a Herculean task as some politicians and budget officials wanted it to be distributed to state colleges and universities involved in rice research rather than giving the entire grant to a sole agency. We did not fail those who supported us. Events have chronicled the wisdom of extending the whole grant to PhilRice alone.

Thus, on our silver anniversary, we advocate Rice Science for Development. We focus on widening people’s choices, providing more options on enjoying a long, healthy, and decent life, and rice workers to be educated further in rice science. To our valued rice farmers, we have made another vow. Our responsibility to you now extends beyond your development as human beings. The technologies we develop for you will hopefully address not only low yield but also reduction of poverty and malnutrition. We are gradually addressing these concerns by aggressively implementing the Location-Specific Technology Development Program – one of the Institute’s banner thrusts that aim to help increase your yield by 200 kg/ha. As we help farmers, the Institute also prioritizes the welfare of rice science workers. We have charted ways that aim to further motivate our researchers and development workers to continue working for the local rice farmers and to devote more productive years in the government service.

We help farmers improve their lives. Rice-based farm households’ gross income has grown from about P70,000 in 1996 to 1997 to about P128,000 in 2006 to 2007.

Currently, we are broadening our horizons. We share our technologies and knowledge to other rice-eating countries. Indeed, more than fueling a country’s life, rice also connects. And this connection is so strong that it moves boundaries and bonds minds amidst differences in culture and color.

We also helped improve the landscape in rice production. The Bureau of Agricultural Statistics reports that total production from modern varieties in 1986 was 8.5 MT, with only 0.78 MT from traditional varieties. In 2006, area harvested using high-yielding varieties was almost 97% of the total area.

Let us congratulate each other for coming this far. Each of us– from the laborers to the Institute’s think-tank, is instrumental in generating technologies and delivering them to the farmers. In accomplishing our mission, we are also being assisted by our collaborators and donors. To them, we share our success.

We are blessed and humbled with these results, but we should not be contented with improving the farmers’ yields and increasing their income. Rice science, as a tool for development, need not be confined among farmers alone.

Our status as a model national rice research institute in Asia inspires us to do better for tomorrow. Local production woes still stare us in the eye. Let us buckleup as challenges do not run out! And soon, the rice that fuels life and connects will make one’s existence more complete. October-December 2010, Vol. 23 No. 4

Greetings

Compiled by MARC ELVIN T. LOZANO

y warmest greetings to the men and women of the Philippine Rice Research Institute as you celebrate your 25th Anniversary. We commend PhilRice for being part of our effort to maintain stable rice production by responding to the needs of Filipino rice farmers. With your continued commitment, I am confident that our country’s agriculture will hold strong amidst high demands for rice in Asia. Our administration’s mandate symbolizes the people‘s pressing desire for change. And as we work towards the realization of that change, we continue to draw our strength from the people and from government entities like yours. We are fortunate enough to have you as the government’s ally in the fight for alleviating hunger and poverty. Rest assured that our administration will continue to serve under the banner of reform, transparency, and hope. May we all rally beneath this banner as we strive to stay on course in the straight and righteous path. Congratulations once again and Happy Silver Anniversary!

Benigno S. Aquino III President, Philippines

October-December 2010, Vol. 23 No. 4

join the rest of the Filipino nation as we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Philippine Rice Research Institute. Through the years, PhilRice has been instrumental in the drive to attain food sufficiency in the country. Together with local and foreign partners, PhilRice has helped build and sustain the country’s rice stock through innovative and sustainable means. May PhilRice continue to lead and to promote the meeting of minds and efforts of the academe, R&D institutions, government, industry, investors, concerned citizens, and every Filipino towards the betterment of Philippine agriculture. Thank you very much. Mabuhay tayong lahat.

Jejomar C. Binay

Vice President, Philippines

s we aim to reduce our reliance on rice importation, we have PhilRice in the forefront of helping us achieve this goal. While the Philippines continuously eyes for the country’s rice self-sufficiency, it maintains an open eye to better rice production in other nations.

Now that you’re on your 25th year serving your farmers, helping your country, and contributing to the development of rice science in the world, we would like to express our sincerest appreciation to PhilRice for assisting us with our target of increasing our rice sufficiency level. Thank you and happy 25th anniversary!

YANG BERHORMAT PEHIN ORANG KAYA SERI UTAMA DATO SERI SETIA AWANG HAJI YAHYA BIN BEGAWAN MUDIM DATO PADUKA HAJI BAKAR Minister of Industry and Primary Resources, Brunei Darussalam

orking side by side with the country’s leading institution in rice R&D since 1992 has helped us better understand our purpose. Cooperation means acting together while sharing a common goal. PhilRice had also been successful in creating with us an avenue for cooperation. We value our collaboration with you and we admire your efforts. After reaching this far, I know PhilRice will continuously innovate in the world of rice R&D. In behalf of JICA, happy 25th anniversary to PhilRice.

Mr. Norio Matsuda

Chief Representative, Japan International Cooperation Agency-Philippines

October-December 2010, Vol. 23 No. 4

hilRice has continued to improve its branch stations and equip them with screen houses, dormitories, warehouses, laboratories, and offices. “Our engineers continuously build R&D facilities that fit the science and technology applicable for the establishments,” PhilRice Executive Director Ronilo A. Beronio said.

Completed projects In October 2009, the renovation of the staff dorm at the Central Experiment Station (CES) was completed. The dormitory can now accommodate more comfortably more than a hundred occupants. In PhilRice Agusan, a new duplex house was also completed last year. It saves on costs. The nearest hotel from the station is a 15-minute drive away. PhilRice Batac, on the other hand, inaugurated a screenhouse in February 2010. The facilities are used to improve rice production in rainfed areas through the development of drought-tolerant varieties and proper fertilizer applications and identification of yield loss owing to water stress. An additional screenhouse in PhilRice Isabela was also completed in June 2010. It serves as shed for nucleus and breeder seed production of hybrid and inbred rice.

The refurbishment of PhilRice training dorm situated inside the campus was completed this August. The dorms are now ready to accommodate local and international clientele.

PhilRice Builds up Infra On-going construction PhilRice Midsayap has started the concreting of the 1.2-km road in Brgy. Palongogen to speed up travel to the 64-ha experimental farm. Meanwhile, 48 rooms in the CES training dorm now feature a flat screen TV, improved toilet, and an air-conditioner in each room. The new rooms capture the ambience of a real hotel. Other on-going projects in CES and Isabela, Negros, Agusan, and Midsayap are buffer stock seed warehouses, which will house seeds procured by the government in times of calamity.

Facilities to look forward to The lobby in CES’ main building will be equipped with flat monitors flashing PhilRice facilities and

More RSOs deployed by October

his October, PhilRice will deploy in various provinces another batch of 46 rice sufficiency officers (RSOs) trained and qualified under a high-standard assessment tool in the Rice Specialists’ Training Course (RSTC) on the PalayCheck and Palayamanan Systems. The fourmonth training started in June. RSTC Coordinator Ofelia Malonzo said the recruits in this batch were screened through a competencebased assessment on knowledge 44

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and skills in rice production under a 75% passing grade standard. “This new assessment tool is our measure of assurance that they can endure and overcome real farming rigors,” Malonzo said. Culminating this October, the onthe-job training uses participatory lecture-discussion, educational field trips, workshops, and laboratory exercises to embolden learning. Instructional methods also include actual hands-on exercises on

important announcements. PhilRice also plans on doubling the 200-seating capacity of its social hall. Moreover, to cope with the high market demands for Tapuy (rice wine), the rice wine plant will be improved beginning this October. In November, a bigger PhilRice Los Baños office is lined up for construction. Offices for administration and crop protection, laboratories for grain quality and biotechnology, and a conference room are some of the proposed facilities of the building. The old building will be converted into a soils laboratory, stockroom, training rooms, and guestrooms. Within January to March 2011, construction of facilities for the 7th branch station, PhilRice Bicol, is slated to begin. (MARC ELVIN T. LOZANO)

land preparation, transplanting, managing the crops at different stages, assessing the achievement of keychecks, and harvesting. To prepare RSOs in organizing and facilitating farmer-group activities, the trainees practiced training farmers in PalayCheck Field Schools in eight barangays of San Jose City, Nueva Ecija on the latest rice and rice-based production technologies. PalayCheck is a dynamic rice crop management system that presents the best technology practices as keychecks, while Palayamanan is

Varieties Best for Brown Rice Now Known Eating brown rice regularly helps reduce the incidents of cancer and cardio-vascular diseases.

ice varieties with low to intermediate amylose content (AC) and intermediate gelatinization temperature (GT) are most suitable for brown rice production, according to a PhilRice study. Low-amylose (10.1 to 20.0%) rice varieties, particularly NSIC Rc160, MS8, and MS6, including those with intermediate AC (20.1 to 25.0%) and GT such as NSIC Rc154, 150, 144, 14, and 18, are best for excellentquality brown rice. “We came up with this study because brown rice has overwhelming nutritional values and health benefits, but its production and consumption are limited,” study leader Henry Corpuz of the Rice Chemistry and Food Science Division (RCFSD) said. a diversified integrated rice-based farming system. They are PhilRice’s systems tools to help achieve rice self-sufficiency and sort out poverty and malnutrition. “The training will enable the future RSOs to learn and experience rice production processes with farmers in the barangays,” said Celia Abadilla of the Technology Management and Services Division. Ronilo A. Beronio, PhilRice executive director, said the conduct of the season-long training is a milestone activity of the Institute as the

In the study, the GT and AC of rice were scrutinized as the former determines the cooking time of brown rice, while the latter dictates the hardness or softness of rice when cooked. In other words, low GT of rice leads to fast cooking, while low AC results in soft cooked rice, Corpuz explained. “The use of the Instron machine is of big help as it quantitatively determines the hardness of cooked brown rice. This technique is fast and simple and could scale down the errors in subjective sensory evaluation for cooked brown rice tenderness,” he said. Water-soaking the grains for at least 30 minutes speeds up cooking and highlights the sensory attributes of cooked brown rice, Corpuz also said. activity molds development workers to be efficient and effective rice specialists and extension workers. Upon deployment, the RSOs will lead the implementation of training and extension components of PhilRice’s Location-Specific Technology Development (LSTD) Program toward helping attain and sustain rice self-sufficiency by 2013. LSTD develops farming technologies best suited to farmers’ specific farming conditions. (ELLA T. LOIS BESTIL)

Brown rice is milled but unpolished or unwhitened rice, a kind of whole, natural grain, each still coated with bran. Any rice, traditional or improved, hybrid or inbred, long or short grain, may be milled, cooked, and eaten as brown rice. Unpolished rice has high amounts of nutrients such as vitamin B complex, minerals, protein, fiber, and other phytochemicals. Regular eating of brown rice can help reduce the incidence of chronic diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Also focusing on the nutritional value of rice, RCFSD’s Riza Ramos studied folate profile in rice for her doctoral degree at University of Nottingham, United Kingdom. The study was aimed at improving levels and overall folate profile in rice. Naturally found in rice, folate is one of the important B vitamins needed for normal cell function, growth, and development. “Improvement of folate content in rice can reduce cases of babies born with cleft palate, hydrocephalus, and underdeveloped spine, among others,” Ramos said. The study screened varieties that have higher folate content, and profiled the naturally occurring folate forms in the grain to identify which variety is a potential donor for folate enhancement. The study showed that overexpression of folate-binding proteins results in improved levels and overall folate profile, which can be used in breeding programs designed to enhance folate content in rice. (CHRISTINA G. ABADILLA-FREDILES) October-December 2010, Vol. 23 No. 4

Save Rice, Enough Rice ELLA LOIS T. BESTIL increase milling recovery,” Juliano explained. On rainy or cloudy days, experts advise farmers to use rice hullpowered flatbed dryers that can dry 6 tons of paddy rice in one operation. Proper drying lessens the risk of spoilage, and diminishes insect attack and discoloration caused by grain heating. In a related activity, PhilRice promotes November as National Rice Awareness Month with the theme, “weRice” to embody the “Filipinos’ collective soul as a nation shaped by rice.”

Part of PhilRice's call for rice conservation is encouraging children to a commitment through the Save Rice Save Lives pledge.

ere is a call to all Filipinos: save rice to help save the US $210 M in rice imports annually, and help the country win rice self-sufficiency. Ronilo A. Beronio, PhilRice executive director, said each Filipino wastes three tablespoons of cooked rice everyday. If rice is not wasted, import savings could reach up to P9.631 B. “This wastage, when summed up, easily translates into 480,000 tons of raw rice per year. Given a per capita consumption of 112 kilograms per year, this wastage can feed 4.3 M hungry Filipinos in a year,” Beronio said. As part of the government’s campaign to save rice, households are urged to cook rice just enough for the family, and not to overwash 6

October-December 2010, Vol. 23 No. 4

it before cooking to cut wastage and control the loss of nutrients. Parents would do well to teach their kids to finish off the rice on their plates or get only the amount of rice they can consume. On-farm rice conservation is also sought. PhilRice’s Arnold Juliano said improper harvest and postharvest activities can lead up to 15% loss, equivalent to 15 of every 100 cavans palay harvested. “At P17/kg the loss could be worth P12,750,” he said. Rice experts recommend that harvesting should be done when 80% of the grains are already golden yellow. “Harvesting and threshing on time ensure good grain quality, and

“weRice” encourages the riceconsuming public “to rise” by conserving rice, attain better nutrition through brown rice, and bolster income from rice farming. This is congruent with the goals of PhilRice’s corporate strategic plan, which are helping attain and sustain rice self-sufficiency, and reduce poverty and malnutrition. To complement the cause, PhilRice soft-launched on July 29 the Save Rice, Save Lives movement as it began its 100-day countdown to its 25th anniversary. The commitment to “continually find and practice ways to save every grain of rice as a way of helping the country attain rice self-sufficiency” was pledged by PhilRice personnel and visitors led by Beronio and Mayor Efren L. Alvarez of the Science City of Muñoz. “I shall keep this pledge in my heart and mind at all times, knowing that with the rice I save, I save lives,” the pledgers said. The pledge will be recited by students who will participate in the “weRice” fora to be conducted in universities nationwide. The fora promote the three key messages of “weRice” in inviting students to participate in the country’s move to liberate itself from too much rice imports.

Panatang Makapalay Save Rice, Save Lives Pledge Sa ika-25 taong anibersaryo ng PhilRice, Nakikiisa ako sa panatang huwag magsayang ng palay, bigas, o kanin. On the occasion of the 25th year of PhilRice, I commit myself to helping conserve rice Ipagbabawal ko at di ko gagawin ang magpatuyo ng palay sa kalsada. I will discourage and avoid drying of palay on roads Gagawin at ituturo ko ang pagpunla ng tamang dami ng binhi. I will promote and practice the sowing of just the right amount of seeds Ako’y mag-iimbak ng palay sa tamang paraan. I will safely store and clean grains to drive away pests Magsasaing ako ng aming mauubos lamang at tama ang pagkakaluto nito. I will not cook more rice than what my family and I can eat Kakainin ko ang tirang kanin. I will recycle leftover rice into other dishes Sa labas, bibili ako ng kanin na kaya ko lang ubusin. I will consider ordering rice that I can only consume Kakain din ako ng iba pang pagkain bukod sa kanin. I will also eat equally nutritious foods as substitute to rice ‘Di ko wawaldasin ang bawa’t butil ng palay, bigas, o kanin tungo sa kasapatan sa bigas sa Pilipinas. I will always find ways to save every grain of rice to help my country achieve rice self-sufficiency Aking isasapuso ang panatang ito dahil sa bawa’t butil ng palay, bigas, o kanin na aking matitipid ay may buhay na masasagip. I will keep this pledge in my heart and soul at all times, for with the rice I save, I save lives.

October-December 2010, Vol. 23 No. 4

Be Wise With

JEZEREEL LOUISE C. BILLANO

PinoyRice aids intermediaries in facilitating and enhancing farmers’ learning in the field.

ere is another good reason for agriculture enthusiasts to surf the internet. There is Pinoy Rice Knowledge Bank or, simply, PinoyRice (www.pinoyrkb.com). PinoyRice is a one-stop source of information for successful rice farming in the Philippines. This website is an output of the PhilRiceIRRI partnership as part of the Rice Self-Sufficiency Plan (RSSP). It offers the latest knowledge and technologies in rice crop management from PhilRice and IRRI, including other useful information for rice intermediaries such as extension workers and development specialists, local and national government units, farmer groups and non-government organizations (NGOs), and media practitioners. Its main feature is the PalayCheck System—a holistic and integrated system of crop management for localization. With the help of Rice Sufficiency Officers (RSOs), who are deployed in different rice farming areas in the country, farmers customize the PalayCheck to suit 88

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farming practices to their fields’ conditions, thereby improving yield. Location-specific rice production is available in PinoyRice to serve as guide. Very soon, PinoyRice will also feature the Palayamanan System for best practices in rice-based farming. PinoyRice resources include ready-to-print handouts, videos, broadcast/media releases, photos and illustrations, audio files, experts’ powerpoint presentations, farmers’ success stories, rice maps, and a lot more. Extension workers, trainers, and field implementers find these materials very helpful in enhancing farmers’ learning processes. Currently, PinoyRice is linked to other useful online resources such as the Rice Doctor, Nutrient Manager for Rice, Frequently Asked Questions database, PhilRice database, and e-commerce site for knowledge products on sale. The website is currently in English but will soon be adapted into Filipino, Iluko, and Cebuano. Surely, PinoyRice is more than an information source. It facilitates

effective communication among stakeholders and provides continuous technical support through the OpAPA e-learning site, PalayChikahan (e-forum), PhilRice Text Center, e-mails, and virtual consultations (vircon). With these, continuous technical support and interaction anywhere in the country is possible as PinoyRice strengthens the link between experts and intermediaries. “PinoyRice is very timely... in our struggle to be rice-self-sufficient. I hope PhilRice and other agencies will intensify their efforts to enhance our capacity,” said Susan Empeynado, an extension worker from Zamboanga del Norte. A great volume of knowledge products in Philippine rice production has been accumulated during the past years. However, the quest for knowledge and reinvention of learning formats to enhance participation of stakeholders is far from over. With PinoyRice, this pool of assets can now be shared widely and generously.

CLIMATE FORECAST BULLETIN October- December 2010

Source: Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration

eak La Niña condition emerged in mid-June 2010, strengthened to moderate/strong through mid-September, and is expected to last through at least Feb. 2011. The weather systems likely to influence the country from October to December 2010 are the transition from southwest monsoon (Habagat) to northeast monsoon (Amihan), Intertropical Convergence Zone, tropical cyclones, easterlies, tail end of the cold fronts, low pressure area, and ridges of high pressure area. Gradual recession of rains associated with Habagat is expected up to early October. A persistent warmer than normal conditions will be experienced in most parts of the country throughout the season. La Niña condition could bring

normal to above-normal rainfall in most parts of the country especially over Luzon during the season. Eastern sections of the country will receive more rains at more than 500 mm. In October, above normal rainfall will be experienced in Benguet, Ifugao, Pangasinan, Nueva Vizcaya, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, MIMAROPA (except Palawan), Bicol Region (except Camarines Norte and Catanduanes), Aklan, and Capiz. The rest of the country will receive near-normal rainfall. In November, above-normal rainfall will be experienced in CAR (except Kalinga), Ilocos Region, Batanes, Cagayan, Bataan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Zambales, Batangas, MIMAROPA, Bicol (except Masbate and Sorsogon), Western Visayas, Negros Oriental, Zamboanga Peninsula,

Davao del Sur/Oriental, South Cotabato, Sarangani, Sultan Kudarat, Basilan, and Sulu. In December, normal to above normal rainfall will be experienced in most parts of the country. La Niña condition will also favor storm formation over the western Pacific. Storms that will form or enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility are three or four in October, one or two in November, and one or two in December. During this period, storms move on a more westerly track across central and southern parts of Luzon and Visayas. Residents in low-lying areas and near mountain slopes should take precautionary measures.

What is La NiÑa? La Niña refers to a period of cooler than average Sea Surface Temperature (SST) in the eastern and central equatorial Pacific Ocean that occurs as part of natural climate variability. The term La Niña (the Little Girl) was used by many scientists and meteorologists to differentiate it from El Niño. It is sometimes called El Viejo (Old Man), Anti-El Niño, or simply "cold event" or "cold episode." NOAA Climate Prediction Center consider La Niña condition to occur when the monthly Niño 3.4 SST departure is less than or equal to -0.5 oC forecasted to persist for three consecutive months along with consistent atmospheric features. To be classified as a full-fledged La Niña episode, these thresholds must be exceeded for a period of at least five consecutive overlapping three-month seasons. Once developed, La Niña events typically persist for 9 to 12 months or longer, peaking sometime during December to February, and recur every two to seven years.

For more information, contact: PhilRice Agromet Network (PhilAgromet) - Philippine Rice Research Institute l Maligaya, Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija Tel: (044)-456-0285 loc 212 lEmail: philagromet@yahoo.com l PhilRice Text Center: 0920-911-1398 October-December 2010, Vol. 23 No. 4

A PhilRice Laborer’s Other

ewards

HANAH HAZEL MAVI M. BIAG

is arms suffer the oppressive heat of the sun while his face is drenched with sweat. His feet are plastered with mud. His back slightly aches. But he alone tolerates and endures the pain. His smiles, though, spell fulfillment from more than a decade of hard work done in a research institute as a laborer. Even his last name literally speaks about the fruit of his labor. For Reynaldo “Silyo” Bungbunga of Mabini, Sto. Domingo, Nueva Ecija, farming is nothing new as he grew up in a farming family. At 13, he started to help till their land when his father died. At 21, he began to work at the Agronomy, Soils, and Plant Physiology Division (ASPPD) of PhilRice. He is a high school graduate.

PhilRice is his training ground “You have your own farms and laborers to manage, and yet you still opted to work as PhilRice laborer. Why?” In response, he would usually smile at people who at times interrogate him. His face betrays no trace of regrets or doubts for what he had decided to do in life. Silyo sees PhilRice as more than just a workplace. It is his learning ground for all the superior rice technologies that are within his reach. 10

October-December 2010, Vol. 23 No. 4

There are man of which is hi y reasons for Silyo’s fuls ome smile, th s whopping 10 success as a worker for e PhilRice. He least ha of land. also tills a

Silyo sees PhilRice as more than just a workplace. It is his learning ground. Silyo is grateful for the salary that he receives regularly from PhilRice as it supports his wife’s and daughter’s needs. More than the compensation, his direct exposure to what PhilRice is doing to increase farmers’ productivity has been very instrumental in the realization of his dream for his own farm’s higher profitability. His peers observe that he usually wears a beaming face with glowing eyes especially upon the release of results of every experiment. His sustained enthusiasm wins the trust of his supervisors who study water and nutrient management options for hybrid and rainfed rice, or do comparative trials of different foliar and biological fertilizers.

“As long as PhilRice is satisfied with my performance, I will be glad to serve even for more decades,” he said. His immediate supervisor, Evelyn Javier, attested to his commendable performance. “He is a fast learner and his mindset is not that of a mere laborer’s. He thinks the way researchers think. He can even be tapped as a resource person during farmers’ field days.” In 2008, he was one of the outstanding field workers recognized by the Institute.

His own farm is his test bed Unlearning his traditional farming practices is never a half-hearted attempt.

is that om PhilRice as learned fr ng high yields. h o ly Si s g r achievi many thin Among the control is important fo d ee w y el tim

NSIC Rc122 o matures in 12r Angelica has an averag e 1 days with good eating yield of 4.7 t/ha and quality.

He deeply believes there’s real money in farming.

is safe from falling into a quagmire of debts.

“For farming to be profitable, one needs hard work and innovativeness,” he said.

Being a certified advocate of PhilRice technologies, Silyo is like a student excited to do his homework. After work, he can’t wait to go back home to apply in his own farm what he practices in the experiments. In the money market, it’s called “insider trading.“

His positive attitude toward farming radiates positive results. From the 2-ha inherited farm, he was able to acquire 8 ha more through mortgage mostly using his income from rice farming. He grows two rice crops a year in his 10-ha farm. He attributes the 10 to 15% increase in his yield to the crop management techniques he adopts from PhilRice, spiced by his wantto-try attitude. From only 5.5 t/ha in the past, he now enjoys 6.5 t/ha inbred harvest. His income from farming is his savings. He produces commercial rice. During the wet season (WS), he usually plants different inbred rices like NSIC Rc122 or Angelica. During the dry season (DS), he uses hybrid rice varieties like SL8-H. When he strikes lucky, he earns P20,000 to P50,000 per season. He does not worry about production money. He

Silyo loves to experiment. He conducts his own varietal trials right in his 4,000-m2 plot exploring which varieties perform well. One of his trials affirmed that Rc122 is best grown during the WS. This convinced him to plant Rc122 every WS. He now plans to allot 4 ha of his farm for the seed production of new varieties such as NSIC Rc222 and Rc216. He foresees that in the next cropping seasons, these varieties will sell like hotcake. He also experiments on the right amount of fertilizers to apply for good yield. He said during the DS, he applies 6 bags of urea, 5 bags of complete (14-14-14), 1 bag of muriate of potash, and 1 bag of sulfate in a hectare; during the WS, he uses the same amounts, but with

only a bag of urea. He also observes the right planting distance, and water and pest management practices. “To sustain profitability, you should not lose track of your priorities,” Silyo advised. Luxury, for him, is a “no-no”. He would rather buy pieces of farming machines to improve his production instead of owning a good-looking car. He recalls he has never thought of going overseas for a job. He considers his situation far better than other people who work abroad. He has acquired additional farms and a vehicle that transports unmilled rice from his farm to his stock room, which can store 3,000 bags. Silyo takes pride in sharing what he learns from PhilRice to his successful and appreciative relatives and neighbors. From Silyo, PhilRice borrows inspiration to observe its 25th anniversary.

October-December 2010, Vol. 23 No. 4

This Woman an Improved is Rice Farmer EV A. PARA C Florentina Ca

sas

n the wet season (WS) of 2009, Florentina Casas bested 24 rice farmers of New Visayas, Sto. Tomas, Davao del Norte – four women and 20 men, including her husband – with her all-time high yield of 6.15 t/ha (from less than 4 t/ha). Because of this and other pleasant things, she believes she’s an improved rice farmer. The welcome change came as a result of her joining LocationSpecific Technology Development (LSTD) project in her locality. To her, the technologies she learned from the project’s Farmers’ Field School (FFS), were instrumental in her feat. The FFS is anchored on the PalayCheck System, an integrated crop management approach. At 55, Florentina still oversees 1.1 ha of their farm that now brings more income and hope to her family. “I am greatly thankful to PhilRice because despite my being a woman, I was encouraged to participate in the project so I learned to increase my yield,” she said.

On equal ground Florentina is one of the many women farmers who benefited from technologies promoted by PhilRice to improve the yield and 12

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“ It doesn’t matter if you’re a woman or a man. ” income of rice farmers towards attaining rice self-sufficiency. In the case of the LSTD project alone, around 40% of its farmerparticipants during its initial season of implementation in the 2009 dry season (DS) cropping were women. “PhilRice believes that men and women stand on equal ground as recipients of rice information and technology because both have significant roles to play in our quest of helping the country achieve rice self-sufficiency,” said Dr. Irene Tanzo, rural sociologist and project leader for PhilRice’s Gender and Development Initiatives (GADi). Since her marriage to Jeremias Casas, the couple has relied solely on their 2.6-ha farm to support their family of four children. The mother has become her husband’s diligent partner in rice farming. She decides with him and performs actual farm activities.

As overall in-charge of the 1.1-ha area, she also helps in transplanting and weeding the farm. “But my main and usual assignment is the filling of missing hills after transplanting,” the wife said. Thus, when Rolando Rodrigo “Bong” Narisma, the rice sufficiency officer assigned in Sto. Tomas, told her about the FFS, she did not hesitate to join it. She claimed, “My husband and I got interested and Bong said both men and women farmers can join it as long as they are interested.”

The welcome change “We thought it was our chance to learn something new to raise our productivity,” Florentina said. True enough, she was not disappointed. The woman couldn’t be happier when she got her personal best of 6.15 t/ha harvest in the 2009

classes and working in the farm.”

Rice for the better Indeed, Florentina proved that diligence is important to be able to improve, especially if rice production is the the LSTD cted under season. u d d o n o g co s ls only source of it A ia g et si tr de from al ew Seein in the variet Rc158 for th partner to her motherly duti performance ntina has chosen NSIC income. Florentina es, her husba re o nd as he w Florentina is an a project, Fl ble shared that her orks in th e field. family’s reliance on rice production for a living was once tested in 2005, when the dam that supported their farm irrigation was destroyed. For WS when she planted PSB Rc18 was very useful in determining the almost 2 years, she said, they had and applied what she learned right time and amount of nitrogen no choice but to plant vegetables, from the FFS for the first time. That fertilizer to apply. She was told by particularly squash, to sustain their season, her yield was third highest the experts that by using the LCC, family’s needs. among all farmers in her class but the farmers can save at least 1 bag was highest among the women of nitrogen fertilizer per hectare. But rice proved to be a better participants. From that, she was crop. “We immediately switched able to earn a net income of almost “Another thing that really got my back to rice when the dam was P29,000. attention was the AESA. We have rehabilitated because we earn never done it before and I never more from rice than from planting This 2010 DS, she planted NSIC thought such a simple practice can squash, even if our rice yield then Rc158 and got a 5.69 t/ha yield help us save a lot,” the woman said. was low,” the wife explained. which earned her a net income of P29,200. This is up 2.29 tons from The AESA, which short for She added that now that they are her usual DS harvest of 3.40 t/ha Agroecological Systems Analysis, is getting bigger harvest in their from using NSIC Rc146. a practical way of determining the balance of friendly and non-friendly rice-growing endeavour. She said their income is even better. Plus, She pointed out that she endured insects present in the field and the they are now able to set aside a sixlearning the key technologies in the overall health of the rice crop. month supply of rice for their daily season-long FFS. One of them, she consumption. “With rice as our crop, said, was the use of certified seeds “By doing AESA early in the we do not need to buy rice from the of a variety suitable in the area. morning, we save on pesticide market so our saving is bigger,” she use because we were told not said. Florentina said that in the varietal to spray immediately if there are trial in which they observed how more friendly insects in the field,” The woman has graduated from different varieties performed was Florentina explained. the FFS but she continues to attend very helpful in their decision which variety to plant. For her, she found When asked if she had any difficulty the meeting that their RSO, Bong, holds once a month to monitor PSB Rc18 the best for the WS and as a female participant in the FFS, their farms. She also continues to NSIC Rc158 for the DS. she said, “It doesn’t matter if you’re a woman or a man. Any woman can patronize the technologies she learned to continuously improve To save on fertilizer cost, Florentina do it. What’s important is diligence her farming ways. said the Leaf Color Chart (LCC) in regularly attending the FFS October-December 2010, Vol. 23 No. 4

BIG IN NUMBER, RICH IN KNOWLEDGE ELLA LOIS T. BESTIL

ndividual seed growers have always been encouraged to organize, for manageability and efficiency in the delivery of technical assistance and services, let alone mobilization of learning opportunities. Isabela seed growers have heeded the government’s encouragement.

Treasuring learning From 48, the Isabela Seed Growers Multi-Purpose Cooperative (ISGMPC) now has 275 regular members. The members are not necessarily inviting other seed growers to join them because they voluntarily join the coop.

growing technologies that enhance their skills in seed production. “Joining the cooperative means a lot to me as a seed grower,” Santos said. For him, he would not have encountered such learning opportunities, such as those provided by PhilRice, if he did not join the cooperative. “The learnings we acquired helped us to get better harvests,” he added. This thirst for new knowledge has always motivated them to participate in refresher courses every three years, Santos stressed.

Crispulo Santos, 72, ISGMPC chair, said benefits magnet members into the coop.

He attributed to the trainings the changes in his and his members’ seed production practices.

But, being part of a group is not all about numbers. More than anything else, it is the acquisition and sharing of knowledge that matters. For one thing, the seed grower members get the latest rice

“The cooperative supports and guides members through the trainings conducted for them. The changes can be observed at once among seed grower-members,” Santos said.

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Santos added that they become technically equipped, which gives them hope for a better market of their produce; and that they work in the farm with enthusiasm because of the bigger gains that they expect. Santos himself has experienced the changes in his farming practices. The cost-reducing technologies allowed him to save from using much input such as fertilizers and seeds. Santos informed fellow farmers that 40 kg of inbred or 15 to 20 kg of hybrid seeds are enough for a hectare. He knows that using this rate not only results in cost-saving but also in strong and healthy seedlings. The use of the Leaf Color Chart (LCC) is the most memorable learning that Santos acquired. With LCC, he now knows the amount of nitrogen needed by his rice plants during the early tillering to early flowering stages. Thus, he has freed himself from buying excess fertilizers. He was told by rice experts that if LCC reading is below 4 for transplanted rice, 1.5 bags of urea (45-0-0) in the dry season, and just a bag in the wet season, is needed in a hectare of field.

Forming into group In 1991, ISGMPC was registered with the Cooperative Development Authority and since then this agency has been closely monitoring the coop’s operations and progress. The ISGMPC office in Alinam, Cauayan City, Isabela, has an area of 5 ha with a rice seed production area of 4 ha. It has a seed center built through money grants from the DA-RFU II and the Provincial Government Office. The ISGMPC has taken not only accredited seed growers as

ISGMPC chair Crispulo Santos monitors his field regularly, a practice he learned from PhilRice.

“The learnings we acquired helped us to get better harvests” including a grant from has invited in donations, unction hall. The success of ISGMPC lti-f mu a of n constructio Sen. Manny Villar for the

members but also landed farmers as associate members. A 5-ha land ownership is a qualification to be an associate member and that the produce from 3-ha of that area will be delivered to ISGMPC. The rest of the produce can be freely disposed of by the members. The coop entered into a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with Department of Agriculture (DA) for it to buy only their high-quality produce.

Counting treasures Francisco Argonia, chair of the Credit Committee of ISGMPC, recalled that in 2008 they delivered

5,000 bags and 6,000 bags of certified inbred seeds in Regions V and VI, respectively. And luck further smiled on them. “Just recently, we negotiated with DA-RFU I about seeds. The MOA is already under refinement,” Santos proudly said. They are expecting to deliver 15,000 bags of certified seeds to DA-RFU I. Owing to its success in farming ways and marketing of the produce, ISGMPC has now a share capital of P22 M. Under the rice production

program of the local government, it was able to get a credit line of P37 M from the Land Bank of the Philippines at 8.5% interest per annum. The coop provides financial assistance to its members. Aside from that, each member can also avail of an emergency loan of P10,000 with a 9% interest payable within six months. Sen. Manny Villar has donated to the coop a dump truck and P1.5 M for a multi-function hall which serves as the coop’s meeting and learning center. For sure, seed growers and farmers are always on the advantage side if they organize themselves. (With reports from Catherine S. Jimenez)

October-December 2010, Vol. 23 No. 4

[Re]Brewing Rice Coffee HANAH HAZEL MAVI M. BIAG

he took a sip from a cup of hot and thick liquid with a lingering aroma. The taste and scent of the liquid captivated her and hooked her in. For seven years since 2003, she shared and is still sharing, several thousand cups of that drink— the rice coffee. Leticia Basubas, 55, of Maligaya, Science City of Muñoz, continues to brew and live up to what her friends and loyal customers fondly call her— the Rice Coffee Queen of Nueva Ecija.

Stirring up In 1999, she was invited to join an exhibit during PhilRice’s 14th year anniversary. She, together with other businessminded women of the Science City of Muñoz, exhibited rice-based products like rice wine, chiffon cake, shang rice, butsi, and others. Letty’s product was rice coffee. In her mind, she wanted visitors to relish that good taste and lingering aroma that she experienced then with her first cup of modernized rice coffee. But the visitors’ comments during the exhibit were more than cups of bitterness. She heard “Who will buy your coffee?” and “It’s just ordinary.” 16

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They were outright discouraging. Some others said then: “Rice coffee is very easy to prepare. You just fry raw rice in an unoiled pan until almost burnt, grind it, and add to sweetened boiling water. That’s it. It’s nothing new.” But, those remarks made her hold on to what she firmly believed then that modernized rice coffee-making will be a viable business. A little science added to art could raise rice coffee to a bit higher level. In 2003, she concentrated on her rice coffee enterprise. In her journey as an entrepreneur, she never was alone. PhilRice always invited her to display and sell her rice coffee whenever there is an occasion, and even to serve as spokesperson on rice-based food products in local and national exhibits, and trade fairs. “The good thing is that I was with PhilRice as administrative assistant for 18 years before. The good reputation that the Institute has established added credibility to my product. The articles featuring my product that PhilRice’s Development Communication Division published also helped a lot in my product promotion,” she said. Letty owes her product exposure to PhilRice, her product’s appeal to the Department of Trade and Industry

for improving her product’s packaging and label design, and her product quality and production efficiency to the Department of Science and Technology that offered her three machines for production. These machines were payable in three years without interest. Letty draws much inspiration and strength from her banker husband and seven daughters, and from the 20 people working in her personally managed Muñoz Science City (MSC) Food Products venture. Her business has been instrumental in giving her workers decent earnings to help them send their children to school. She humbly said, “Their combined efforts helped give birth to the MSC Food Products, a Bureau of Food and Drugs-registered manufacturer.”

Handsome packaging Letty always found herself in reverie then every time she shopped or “malled” at SM malls. She was dreaming then of having her products displayed there. But, she knew no amount of dreaming could make this happen overnight. She had to learn the nitty-gritty of the rice coffee business from packaging to

ople. alth-conscious pe ny offerings for he r apple, squash, lemon ma s ha cts du Pro ge ggay, gin MSC Food made from malun Try their herb teas t, and garlic. rro grass, turmeric, ca

Letty beams with rice coffee busin joy at the success of her ess.

success ... learning the lessons of innovation and the virtues of honesty and self-determination product display. Her rice coffee was initially packaged in a plastic pack with a hand-written label that dryly says “rice coffee.” Then she did it in bottles sealed with electric tape with a type-written label. She migrated to plastic containers with label prepared by a commercial printing press. Her products were first displayed in sari-sari stores and groceries within Nueva Ecija. But, after joining an exhibit in an SM mall, the ‘plastic container’ packaging had to go.

interview opened doors for a series of displays of her product in the SM Kultura chain nationwide but with a happy, welcome change. The packaging has come in small appealing boxes. Her rice coffee has made her richer in experience and in pesos. From earnings of only P75,000 per year from 2003 to 2005, she now has a much heftier monthly income.

Appreciating goodness

During the exhibit, a staff member approached Letty and inquired about her product. Then, the fellow advised her to visit SM’s main office for interview. As she recalls that interview, she could not help but laugh.

According to Letty, success in this business could not be possible without learning the lessons of innovation and the virtues of honesty and self-determination, without recognizing the help and support of her family, without sharing her blessings, and without trusting the Lord.

“I did not hesitate to tell the panel that I was not comfortable talking in English. They all laughed and appreciated my honesty,” she shared. That nerve-wracking

Innovation, for her, lies in developing products that either lessen the risk of diseases or are nutritionally superior considering

that, these days, people are very health-conscious. Hence, she experimented on modernizing rice coffee as an alternative to imported coffee as “rice coffee remedies gas pain, ulcer, and liver problems.” She has also ventured into the manufacture of other products such as tea made from malunggay, ginger apple, squash, lemon grass, turmeric, carrot, and garlic, and chips made from ginger. Now, Letty wants to share cups of rice coffee not only to the Philippines but also to people overseas. She now pays attention to the requirements needed to export her products in many countries. She is completing all the needed requirements for the export of her products. But, above all those hopes, is a prayer she humbly whispers upon waking up: “May God always bless this business to benefit more Maligaya residents.”

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LSTD AT WORK FOR RICE SELF SUFFICIENCY CHRISTINA G. ABADILLA-FREDILES

LSTD-participating farmers proudly show their bountiful harvest.

hilRice’s Location-Specific Technology Development (LSTD) Program may be the missing piece needed to solve the rice self-sufficiency puzzle. It aims to increase productivity and profitability of farmers through the use of technologies specially suited to the location. It identifies yield constraints in areas where rice production is still below the national average and works on them. Rice self-sufficiency does not happen in a jiffy. It is a long process that involves everyone. The government’s Rice Self-Sufficiency Plan envisions no rice importation by 2013. It aims to increase palay production from 16.2 MMT in 2007 to 21.6 MMT in 2013 to have enough rice for 100 M Filipinos by then. To achieve this, a 7% per year increase in production should be mustered.

rice production by an average of 0.43 t/ha. Aklan topped them at 1.07 t/ha, trailed by Davao del Norte, Romblon, South and North Cotabato, Bohol, Capiz, Aurora, Negros Occidental, and Palawan. “The data shows PhilRice is fulfilling its part in helping the country become rice-self-sufficient. Of the targeted annual rice production increase of 7%, we can deliver about 3%,” Beronio said. “Irrigation and farm-to-market roads will take care of the rest,” he added. “Other Department of Agriculture (DA) agencies will address other factors leading to production increase. But for PhilRice, in partnership with the local government units (LGUs), the increase we contributed to farmers’ yield is attributed to appropriate technology and effective extension services,” Beronio elaborated.

What LSTD has done

How LSTD works

“With LSTD that began in July 2009, a total of 3% increase in yield was obtained as of dry season 2009 to 2010 covering 4,315 ha with 3,713 farmers,” said Ronilo A. Beronio, PhilRice executive director. Survey says10 provinces increased their

LSTD has three components: development of location-specific technology; capacity- building of rice specialists, agricultural extension workers, and farmers; and rice information and communication services.

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According to Ruben Miranda, PhilRice deputy executive director for development, the first component was carried out in 20 provinces where rice yields are below 3.8 t/ha in irrigated farms, and less than 2.5 t/ha in rainfed areas. The technology platforms used are PalayCheck– a holistic and integrated package of rice farming technologies for improved rice yield, and Palayamanan– a diversified rice- based cropping system. For capacity-building, PhilRice has intensively trained 170 rice sufficiency officers (RSOs). They had lectures and handson exercises on PalayCheck and Palayamanan, field visits and works such as agroecosystem analysis, facilitating field days and farmer group meetings, and establishing and managing PalayCheck demonstration fields and participatory trials. RSOs help rice personnel in the provinces. They implement trainings for farmers and extension workers together with LGUs, DARegional Field Units, Agricultural Training Institute, and other government agencies. Rice information and communication

Not just theoretical, rice specialists have undergone actual field experimentation as part of their intensive training.

services ensure easy and timely access of farmers and extension workers to the latest know-how on rice production using trimedia. Information Communications Technology in agriculture is now used at Bubulong Malaki, San Ildefonso, Bulacan. Named Pinoy Farmers’ Internet Kiosk for the LSTD site, it serves farmers and other rice stakeholders through improved access to farming knowledge and technologies. PhilRice provided cd- and webbased knowledge resources on rice and rice-based production while the barangay council funded the establishment of the kiosk and internet connection.

Farmers’ testimonials “By keenly studying the PalayCheck System introduced in the LSTD sites, I’ve learned the importance of sowing certified seeds that have high germination rate. Using the 40-kg seeding rate, my replanting for missing hills was lessened. The seedlings easily recover from transplanting shock,” Diego Sayco, participating farmer in San Ildefonso, said in Filipino.

He added that sowing the right amount of seeds in a proper seedbed results in having strong and healthy seedlings. Sayco harvested 6 t/ha way up from his usual 4.9 t/ha.

specified the use of certified seeds as the most important farming practice that contributed to his high yield as these are “pure, clean, full, uniform in size, and have a minimum germination rate of 85%.”

“I am very proud that my yield increased by about 2 t/ha when I followed the recommendations showcased in the LSTD project,” said Herminio Bragas of Culliong, San Juan, Abra in Iluko.

From a measly 2.4 t/ha, the yield of Salmer Estrada of Cayangwan, Makato, Aklan jumped to 4.2 t/ ha by complying with the LSTD guidance. Jireh del Rosario of Namnama, Koronadal City, South Cotabato harvested 6 t/ha instead of his usual 3.6 t/ha, also because of the technologies he learned and followed.

The 65-year-old farmer used to harvest 4.4 t/ha only. But when he practiced proper fertilizer application, his harvest increased to 6.2 t/ha. “As my yield increased, my production cost decreased. I used the Minus-One Element Technique to determine the right kind and amount of fertilizer application, and the Leaf Color Chart to know the right time to apply nitrogen,” Bragas said. Romulo Echinique, one of the LSTD participants in Sto. Domingo, Nueva Ecija, attributed yield increase to implementers as “they taught us new ways on how to improve our crop.” With his yield up from 7.7 t/ha to 9.6 t, Echinique

“By learning to adopt new technologies with trust and hard work, surely our yield will increase. With LSTD, there is nothing more I could ask for,” del Rosario said. Cliché it may seem, but there’s no choice: rice sufficiency is the road that each citizen must take. The clarion call to everyone in the industry is to prove that despite the growing population and agro-climatic difficulties, there will soon be adequate, available, and affordable rice on every Filipino’s plate.

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The Silver Harvest

CHARISMA LOVE B. GADO

can secure our family’s future was renewed.”

hey were deliberated on by the finest minds, crafted by highly skilled hands, and produced by the best researchers and development workers. These are the marks of PhilRice’s silver harvest. “PhilRice has done very well during the [last decade] as evidenced by its numerous outstanding achievements in research. The research outputs are of high quality and the many honors and awards received by PhilRice scientists and by the institution as a whole attest to this fact,” said the external review team that assessed the Institute in 2007. The team was composed of Dr. Rogelio V. Cuyno, management specialist; Dr. Fernando A. Bernardo, a plant breeder; Dr. Louie A. Divinagracia, financial expert; and Dr. Mercedita A. Sombilla, an economist.

Now on its 25th year since its creation in November 1985, PhilRice continues to touch farmers’ lives. In terms of benefit-cost analysis, the external review team found that for 20

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each peso invested on PhilRice, a net return or benefit of P4.45 for the Philippine economy was gained. “This is a handsome rate of return considering that we only compared the average yield before and during the creation of PhilRice. The gains in terms of employment generation, reduced use of pesticides, and protection of the environment are not yet included,” the reviewers said.

Sparks Rice farming is sweeter the second time for farmer Amancio Parcon Jr. of Sitio Nali, Brgy. Panitian, Quezon, Palawan, who is also a pastor of a Charismatic ministry. In adopting PhilRice-developed technologies, he said, “I used to believe that there’s no hope in farming. Now, you will agree with me when I say that farming can improve one’s life financially. Take my case. Last cropping season, my net income was P38,000 from my 0.75 ha! It used to be P22,000. Dramatically, my belief that farming

With the improvements in farmers’ lives, PhilRice helped in creating sparks to enkindle progress in the countryside through its technologies and programs.

Varieties for the season Good harvest starts from good seeds, so the best minds averred. Because of this, PhilRice continues to develop varieties that respond well to varied rice ecosystems and attacks of pests and diseases. According to PhilRice impact evaluators, about 95% of the cultivated rice area was already being planted to high-yielding varieties by the time the Institute was established. The impetus then, they said, was to “develop a new generation of high-yielding varieties to overcome the emerging biological and soil problems brought about by the changing environments and satisfy the eating quality preferred by consumers.” From 1990 to 2007, about 100 varieties were released, referred to as the 3rd (1990-1999) and 4th (20002007) generation varieties. In 2003,

farmers in tungro-stricken areas rejoiced with the commercialization of NSIC Rc120 (Matatag 6), which proved to be sturdy against tungro. Moreover, PhilRice also released varieties for the uplands, salineprone areas, cool-elevated environments, low-solar radiation areas, and submergence fields.

Hybrid rice for higher yield Former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo relaunched the hybrid rice commercialization program with PhilRice as the lead agency on Dec. 13, 2001. Hybrid rice, also referred to as F1 (first filial generation), is a product of crossing two different plants with superior qualities. It showed a yield advantage of about 14%, especially in more favorable areas such as in Isabela (Region II), Davao del Norte and del Sur (Region XI), Nueva Ecija (Region III), Region IX, and ARMM, than the best inbred rice. Professionals, such as doctors, lawyers, engineers, and retired high government officials, plant the varieties in their farms. In Isabela, the province dubbed as the “hybrid rice capital of the Philippines,” a cooperative of seed growers accumulated more than P10 M in its three years of operation.

amount of feed. Knowing that nutrients lift up yield, PhilRice developed decision-making tools that aid farmers in accurately identifying the right time and amount of nutrient application. These tools include the Minus-One Element Technique (MOET) and Leaf Color Chart (LCC). Farmers can test on their own paddy soil for deficiency of six nutrient elements for only P175 with the use of MOET. It is a tool that is reliable, low-cost, and an easy alternative technique for diagnosing soil nutrient status, said the experts who developed it. Comparatively, in laboratory analysis, the farmers pay P300 for every nutrient element. On the other hand, LCC, or the four-stripped plastic “ruler” used in assessing the nitrogen status of rice plants, can generate savings of up to P2,000 a ha in nitrogen fertilizer use.

ICT is now in the farm

Tools for nutrient management

Mar Dizon of Rang-ayan, Science City of Muñoz is a rice tiller for 15 years who ventured into farming after retiring from being a salesperson. He said that he never had big savings until he used the computer, installed by the Open Academy for Philippine Agriculture (OpAPA) in their barangay hall.

If plants had speech, they would shout when not fed on the right feeding time and given the proper

He tried MOET after being convinced by its benefits that he read from the computer.

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“Having savings is really a big change for me. Before, I used 15 bags of fertilizer; now only six! I got rid of nine unnecessary fertilizers, which costs P1,000 each. I save some P9,000 on fertilizer cost just because of the computer in our barangay hall and the learnings from PalayCheck. I bought a motorcycle from the savings,” he said. Established to help meet the information needs of the country’s 2.5 M farmers, OpAPA offers the following services to extension workers, farmers, and other stakeholders: Pinoy farmers’ Internet web portal, farmers’ text center, mobile internet bus, development of databases, distance learning, cyber communities, and an online store. The academy complements the country’s limited number of agricultural extension workers, who total only about 17,000.

Pa l ayC h e c k

Are farmers doing right in their farm? For sure, PalayCheck can help tell! Patterned after Australia’s RiceCheck System, PalayCheck was developed with support from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Composed of a package of technologies and best practices guiding farmers in every stage of the crop, the system’s recommendations include use of certified seeds, proper land preparation, synchronous planting, and right application of nutrients. Farmers are also encouraged to

practice proper water, pest, and harvest management. In a recent Farmers' Field School graduation in Sto. Rosario, Sto. Domingo, Nueva Ecija, farmers said their yield increased by almost 1 t/ha by practicing the PalayCheck System.

Mechanization for lower rice production cost Rice farmers, like Jose Turzar of Casiguran, Aurora, spend 55% of their total production cost on manual labor cost or machine rent during land preparation or harvest time. Comparatively, farmers in Thailand saved 66% of their production cost from expenses on labor through the use of machines. To save on labor and help farmers in unburdening the drudgery of farm labor, the Rice Engineering and Mechanization Division of PhilRice had generated and promoted 23 outstanding tools, machines, and equipment since 1991.These machines include the Maligaya flatbed dryer, combine harvester, rice hull gasifier system, and laboy tiller. “This machine is amazing! Preparing this 1,000 m2-rice field, which is almost waist-deep in mud, took us one day before. But with this machine, it can now be done in less than 30 minutes,” Turzar said as 22

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he tried the laboy tiller on a rainy day.

IPM is knowledge-based Strategy Edgar Enriquez, 42 years old of Sitio Tatabionan, Brgy. Capong Way, Rizal, Palawan, easily panics at the mere sight of bug in his farm. His constant fear of insect attack compelled him to apply pesticides more than five times a season. It was a good thing that he learned, in one of the PhilRice trainings, that not all insects are pests and that they are not considered nuisance when kept in tolerable level. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a cost-saving and environmentfriendly approach that has been promoted by PhilRice to reduce pest occurrence and infestation. Through IPM, the farmers save as much as P2,000/ha per season.

More than just Boiled rice

in anthocyanin, which serves as antioxidant. Meanwhile, rice bran oil can reduce heart-related diseases and is also a good source of Vitamins E and D. Currently, the Rice Chemistry and Food Science Division has developed a protocol on the extraction of rice bran oil using the solvent method. In terms of sales, PhilRice Tapuy sold an average of about P37,000 in 2009. In July and August this year, sales were pegged at about P24,000 and P22,000, respectively. This reflects that PhilRice is also a market-oriented institution.

Pa l aya m a n a n f o r f o o d security Coined from the words palay (rice) and yaman (wealth), Palayamanan is a diversified rice-based farming system being promoted in unfavorable areas.

Never undervalue the golden grains swaying in the field for they also serve as raw material for the production of high-value products such as rice wine and rice bran oil.

This way of life was launched in 2001 for small-scale rice farm families to have enough food supply and increased income.

At 14% alcohol, PhilRice’s rice wine is produced from rice varieties with red or purple aleurone, such as the purple rice from Palawan, Ballatinaw from the Mountain Province, and NSIC Rc19. On the other hand, the red rice wine is rich

Palayamanan is increasing the income of farmers in Mindanao. By using its P10,000 capital obtained from its produce in Palayamanan, the Pualas Farmers’ Multi- Purpose Cooperative in Pagalongan, Ramain, Lanao del Sur now has a

capital of more than P50,000 and has already bought a rice mill.

Location-Specific Technology Development (LSTD) program LSTD is one of the Institute’s banner thrusts that aim to help farmers increase yield by 4 cav/ha through farming technologies that are best suited to rice tillers' specific farming conditions. Based on a regular survey monitoring the progress of the program, LSTD contributed an average yield increase of 3% during the dry season of 2010. The farmer-tailored program originally benefiting about 100,000 rice tillers, created more significant impact in Abra, Cagayan, and Albay, where yield increase ranged from 25 to 36%. LSTD sites in Cagayan, which was under a state of calamity during the El Niño phenomenon, increased harvest by about 1 t/ha. Meanwhile, sites in other drought-stricken areas, such as Bulacan and Nueva Ecija, attained yield increases of 12 and 14%, respectively.

Intellectual Property Policy (IPP) On May 25, 2004, the PhilRice IPP was promulgated through Administrative Order No. 2004-6. The policy is aimed at motivating the Institute’s workforce to continue research and to recover the costs. From 2001 to June 2010, PhilRice’s

IP portfolio listed a total of 253 granted patents, utility models, copyrights, trademarks, plant variety protection, and industrial designs. It entered into 25 licensing agreements and generated P1.78 M in royalties.

Integrated Management S y s t e M ( I M S ) : n e w way o f doing things To ensure the quality of PhilRice products, the safety and health of its employees and personnel, and the well-being of the environment, the Institute secured a certification on IMS. Currently, PhilRice holds three certifications: ISO 9001:2008, ISO 14001:2004, and OHSAS 18001:2007.

Publications AND TRAININGS From 1998 to 2010, the Development Communication Division of PhilRice produced about 400 titles. Some of the publications won awards, such as the Hall of Fame as Best Agricultural Newsletter (PhilRice Newsletter) given by the Philippine Agricultural Journalists, Inc. The book, Highland Rice Production in the Philippine Cordillera, won the National Academy of Science and Technology Outstanding Book Award in 2001. About 200,000 participants- seed growers, extensionists, farmers,

and local officials- were trained. A variety of experiences and activities on rice production were created through lectures, sharing, video showing, powerpoint presentations, and field tours.

Burning continuum In the late 1980s, the Department of Agrarian Reform had this vision of the future for Filipino rice farmers: “By 2000, a typical Filipino farmer will be a prosperous farmer, with access to modern farming technology, farmer-controlled financial system, an efficient national marketing system, and a farmer-owned and run training and research center. His family will be gainfully employed in rural enterprises and industrial villages dispersed in the countryside…by then, wealth will be generated and reinvested in the countryside….” The vision was enunciated three decades ago— a burning continuum as PhilRice, through its harvest of accomplishments, is continuously making the technologies “grow” in the majority of farmers’ fields. The technologies are like some of the seeds sown, as read in the Gospel of Luke. When they grow, and fully develop, they bring forth fruits a hundred times.

October-December 2010, Vol. 23 No. 4

HeSowed the Seeds of PhilRice CHARISMA LOVE B. GADO

n a world of fragments, a man gathered the pieces to unify the efforts being exerted for the rice industry. In fusing the diverse works in rice research, that man, Sen. Edgardo J. Angara, who was then president of the University of the Philippines (UP) System, molded and transformed the landscape of the Philippine rice R&D sector. The force of his will moved other minds to act together and gave rise to PhilRice. 24

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Life-changing initiative Considered as the longest-serving senator in the post-EDSA Senate, Angara earned his pedestal in the rice R&D sector and farmers’ heart during his stint as ex-officio member of the Board of Trustees of IRRI. Working with the world’s top researchers, the lawmaker, who finished his Master of Laws at the University of Michigan,

USA, believes that delivering technologies to rice farmers and providing them access to developments in rice science are keys to their progress. “[Before PhilRice], I think the Philippines took for granted the need to have our own research on rice because IRRI is here. And that’s a mistake. If you have no domestic research organization that will receive findings on improved varieties and that will receive the

technology, then you will not be able to profit from the presence of an international organization like IRRI,” Angara said. Researches, according to the Senator, are useless unless they are transferred to the farmers. Angara convened a committee to brainstorm on the establishment of a national rice research institute in March 1985. Dr. Fernando A. Bernardo, in his book titled, IRRI-Philippines 50 years of Progress: Fighting Poverty and Hunger, described Philippine rice R&D “at best fragmented and funding was negligible because of the country’s reliance on IRRI.” Owing to the situation, Dr. Monkombu S. Swaminathan, during his term as IRRI directorgeneral from 1982 to 1988, helped countries to build their own national rice research institutes. Swaminathan submitted a letter justifying the establishment of a local rice research institute to then Agriculture Secretary Arturo Tanco Jr., who discussed it with then President Ferdinand E. Marcos. Bernardo recounted that the former president was initially opposed to the idea of a local institute as this may “mean a dilution in the commitment of IRRI in the Philippines.” However, Bernardo recalled that when Angara “took up the matter in Malacañang, the former President signed Executive Order 1061 on Nov. 5, 1985 that hatched PhilRice.”

Giving the best for rice farmers Angara, who grew up in the agricultural soils of Baler, Aurora, is amazed by the farmers’ unwavering involvement in planting rice amidst constant obstacles. “Farmers are always challenged by disasters and oftentimes, they lack

government support. But still, they can feed us,” Angara said.

Grain of truth

According to him, countries such as Japan, Taiwan, and Korea are rice-self-sufficient because the government” gives full support in irrigation, technology access, and marketing.”

“A truth in agriculture is that one must be always ready. You prepare everything in this sector – from the land, seeds, until the crop is harvested. The preparation is always a cycle,” Angara, acknowledged Father of PhilRice, said.

History tells us that in the 1950s, majority of the farmers could hardly support their respective families with their income from 2 or 3 ha. And when drought coincided with the lean months of rice supply, about 10% of the farmers missed their meals. However, in a PhilRice study titled Changing Image of the Filipino Rice Farmer, there was a steady improvement in the social and economic status of Filipino rice farmers and their households in the last decade.

Lamenting the damages caused by typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng in 2009 and the El Niño phenomenon this year, the bespectacled senator called for giving priority to agriculture because, he said, most of the poor families live in the countryside. With the challenges in agriculture, the senator learned to think steps ahead. “You should know how to think 2, 3, 4 steps ahead. There’s always the weather to contend with,” he said.

The study focused on trends transpiring in rice-based farm households and rice lands, and among farm operators in 33 provinces.

In spite of the uncertainties in agriculture, the mind that sowed the seed of farmers’ hope maintains confidence in agriculture’s bright future.

Nowadays, farmers are becoming progressive. Current trend suggests that more college-educated fellows are venturing into rice farming although the majority are with elementary education. Some farmers can now afford to hire additional farm hands and use modern equipment during peak seasons. They also use the cellphone and the internet to access rice science information, observation revealed.

“We have here the best farmers in the world. Let us help them experience a better life,” he said with a smile.

To sustain the progress, the senator stressed the urgency of “ensuring farmers’ financial and research support by providing hybrid and certified seeds and information on proper management of pests and diseases.”

His smile invites optimism that can be affirmed during harvest time. It is this time, characterized by the gleaming sight of golden grains swaying with the wind that can easily evoke a beautiful and grand sight, that brings the vision of enough local rice for every Filipino.

With strong government support, he further said that the country can be sufficient in rice again.

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Re-telling t h e Ph i l R i c e Story

HANAH HAZEL MAVI M. BIAG

PhilRice was created to help answer the needs of the struggling rice farmers and of the country endeavoring to attain self- sufficiency in rice.

ince its creation in November 1985, PhilRice has stood by its reason-for-being: to help respond to the needs of the struggling rice farmers and the country’s endeavors to attain self-sufficiency in rice. Mostly, it’s called mandate. As it turns 25, PhilRice moves on undaunted by rice lands shrinking everyday, burgeoning population to feed,the several million metric tons of rice production needed to keep up with the projected demand, and, now, the complicating problems about climate change.

Beginnings traced In March 1985, men of great minds, who either had passion or unquestioned expertise in rice development, came together at the confines of the University of the Philippines (UP) in Quezon City and brainstormed on the idea of putting up a national rice research institute. Then UP System President Edgardo Angara, now senator, convened and led the brainstorming session. At that time, establishing an institute of such nature seemed inexpedient considering that the 26

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country had since 1960 hosted the very productive and dynamic International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). Before anyone else, the Philippines had duly benefited from the fruits of IRRI endeavors. Why then should they even think about putting up another institute of a similar nature in the country? “I think the Philippines took for granted the need to have our own research on rice because IRRI is here. And that’s a mistake. If you have no domestic research organization that will receive findings on improved varieties and also that will receive the technology, then you will not be able to profit from the presence of an international organization like IRRI,” Angara emphasized. The group evolved into an executive committee that worked harder. Soon, a technical interagency committee was drafting the proposal for the formal establishment of PhilRice. The committee was composed of Domingo M. Lantican, Vice Chancellor for Administration of

UP Los Baños; Ricardo M. Lantican, UP Los Baños (UPLB) Director of Research; Domingo F. Panganiban, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food; Ramon V. Valmayor, Executive Director of the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD); Monkombu S. Swaminathan, IRRI Director-General; and Manuel De Leon, Agriculture Staff Director of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA). The PhilRice proposal was submitted to then Pres. Ferdinand E. Marcos through then Agriculture and Food Minister Salvador H. Escudero III. On Nov. 5, 1985, through an executive order (EO 1061) issued by Pres. Marcos, PhilRice was hatched. In the absence of a Director and an administrative machinery, the PhilRice Executing Committee was formed in January 1986. With members representing all sectors of the rice industry, the committee drafted the medium-term PhilRice research and development (R&D) plan. The winds of change were

executive director, Dr. Santiago R. Obien, who formally assumed office in June 1987. At the same time, the President officially constituted the first BOT of the Institute, with then Minister of Agriculture and Food Ramon V. Mitra as exofficio chairperson. The members represented the UP System, UPLB, DBM, NEDA, IRRI, PCARRD, and the science, academic, organized farmers, consumers, and business communities- the very sectors represented in the Executing Committee.

PhilRice’s façade in Maligaya, Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija

PhilRice launched its early operations using an old but still functional UPLB building as its “cradle.” Talented graduates from named colleges and universities were hired, and select UPLB faculty members and researchers were seconded to become program leaders. Among the initial moves of the fledgling Institute was refining and validating the R&D plan that the Executing Committee had crafted. PhilRice did what it had to do, and fast. On May 27, 1987, it signed with IRRI a Memorandum of Understanding that set the framework on how the two institutes would jointly support the local rice industry. In July 1987, the PhilRice-coordinated national rice R&D network was established, composed mostly of Department of Agriculture (DA) stations and state universities and colleges. In August 1987, PhilRice and UPLB formalized their partnership by signing a Memorandum of Agreement.

H o m e i s M a l i g aya blowing from all directions, mostly political. On Nov. 7, 1986, then Pres. Corazon C. Aquino signed E0 60 that increased from 8 to 12 the membership of the Institute’s Board of Trustees (BOT), its highest policymaking body. Aside from broadening representation from all sectors in the rice industry, trustees

were also accorded a definite twoyear tenure of office. Presidents Marcos and Aquino disagreed in not a few national matters and concerns, but their minds met for PhilRice.

Take-off Pres. Aquino in December 1986 appointed the Institute’s first

With its lofty programs and multifarious activities, which necessitated manpower and facilities build-up, there was a felt need to locate the headquarters of PhilRice in a more spacious area than UPLB grounds. It was Japanese Prof. Kenzo Hemmi, Chair of the IRRI Board of Trustees, who suggested the idea of PhilRice seeking infrastructure and technical October-December 2010, Vol. 23 No. 4

assistance from the Government of Japan through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The suggestion was warmly welcomed by then agriculture chiefs Ramon V. Mitra and Carlos G. Dominguez. It was then that the Maligaya Rice Research and Training Center (MRRTC) in Maligaya, Muñoz (now Science City), Nueva Ecija, was eyed as the most suitable site for the institute. Renamed in 1965 as MRRTC and transferred to PhilRice in July 1988, the 98-ha Maligaya Rice Experiment Station of the Bureau of Plant Industry was set aside by government in 1931 for breeding and production purposes. In April 1988, through a BOT resolution, MRRTC was pinpointed as the Central Experiment Station (CES) of PhilRice. And, as the legwork for the relocation of the CES revved up to high gear, the first Annual Rice Program Review was carried out on Aug. 1-3, 1988. In December 1988, the BOT formally commended the young PhilRice for its significant accomplishments in research and technology transfer. In July 1989, many PhilRice Los Baños-based personnel were transplanted in the MRRTC. Through a grant-aid of US$15.7 M from the government of Japan approved on Dec. 21, 1989, the improvement of the new PhilRice “home” in Nueva Ecija began in May 1990, was turned over to the Philippine government in March 1991, and inaugurated by then Pres. Corazon Aquino in May 1991. It was immediately occupied. The PhilRice family was “homeless” no more. By coincidence, Brgy. Maligaya (happy) hosts PhilRice. It is happy home in a vantage area in the top rice-producing province in the country. Owing to its coverage being far and wide, there was a need for PhilRice to make itself more accessible. Over the years, it either established or acquired branch 28

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That rice and the productivity of Filipino farmers, including the fate of others who derive livelihood from rice farming and its products, are tied to the stability of the nation are in the intelligent consciousness of PhilRice.

Former PhilRice executive directors: Dr. Santiago R. Obien (L) and Dr. Leocadio S. Sebastian (R)

stations that were tasked, among other things, to address problems on rice production specific to their locations and areas of operation. Introducing the PhilRice branch stations: Midsayap was acquired from DA-Region 12 in December 1987; Agusan was established beginning in August 1989; Los Baños was declared as the institute’s principal office in March 1990; Isabela was acquired from DA-Region 2 in May 1991; Batac was acquired from the National Tobacco Administration in January 1999; and Negros was established beginning in July 2003. A seed production field office at the Central Mindanao University in Maramag, Bukidnon was significantly fortified in July 2004.

Working for impact From Obien’s time to the stints of Dr. Leocadio S. Sebastian beginning

in 2000, and Ronilo A. Beronio starting in July 2008, PhilRice works with impact as manifested in the changes in knowledge, acceptance, and technology adoption of the rice industry’s stakeholders. It remains a bastion of determination and hope that soon local rice production levels will outpace population growth rate. PhilRice at 25 moves forward with steady strides. It is now carrying out its medium and long-term corporate plans focused on helping to attain and sustain rice self-sufficiency, reducing poverty and malnutrition, and achieving competitiveness in agricultural science and technology with Rice Science for Development as its rallying call. (With excerpts from Our Best for Our Farmers: The PhilRice Story, authored by Dr. Anselmo S. Roque and published by PhilRice in 2008.)

Branching Out TO PRODUCE MORE RICE EV A. PARAC PhilRice Isabela PhilRice Agusan

ince its inception in November 1985, PhilRice has been steadfastly working to realize its vision of a self-sufficient and competitive rice economy for Filipinos. But while its Central Experiment Station (CES) in Maligaya, Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija is leading and coordinating national efforts in rice research and development (R&D), alone it cannot satisfy the demands of a fast-growing population. “With more mouths to feed” means a greater need to amplify the magnitude and scope of the Institute’s operations. Thus, PhilRice rightfully decided to branch out. If two is better than one, then imagine what the “more than two” can do. At present, PhilRice has six branch stations strategically located nationwide. They respond to the demands and peculiarities of the Filipino rice farmers who, despite being spread across geographical regions, share a common need for greater access to agricultural technologies, preferably delivered in a personalized mode.

M i d s aya p f o r r i c e p e s t s A significant portion of the country’s total rice production comes from the Mindanao provinces. As such, rice problems there need to be addressed, too.

Christians eat pork, Muslims do not, but they all eat rice as staple food. In Dec. 1987, the DA-Region 12 turned over to PhilRice what was to become its first branch station in Mindanao. Located in Bual Norte, Midsayap, North Cotabato, PhilRice Midsayap evolved from the Mindanao Rice and Corn Experiment Station of the DA-Bureau of Plant Industry established in 1959. As then the sole rice center in Mindanao, it was mainly involved in seed production and research in integrated pest management to address prevalent pest difficulties in the area. Through its collaborative projects with farmer-partners and extension workers, Midsayap developed and promoted Matatag rice lines which are resistant to the rice tungro disease, a major cause of low rice yields in the area. One notable achievement of the station was the lessened intensity and prevalence of tungro outbreaks in its area of responsibility now. Currently, the station is equipped with a seed processing plant, dryers, warehouses, and screenhouses to boost its seed production and pest research capabilities.

Los Baños for rice varieties After finding home in Nueva Ecija in April 1988, the Institute’s “cradle”

inside the campus of UP Los Baños (UPLB) was in March 1990 converted as its principal office and a branch station – the PhilRice Los Baños. It continued work on plant breeding, crop protection, agronomy and soils, rice chemistry and food science, and technology promotion and development. Situated in a prime science community, Los Baños has since served as the Institute’s front-liner in developing and implementing projects in coordination with a scientific network that includes its giant neighbors, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and UPLB. Designated as in-charge of the hybrid nucleus and breeder seed production initiatives of PhilRice, it was instrumental in the diversification of the germplasm base of the rice breeding program by using wild rice species. With its strong partnership with the scientific community of Los Baños and local government units, it also brought about a number of location-specific technologies and innovations, the most popular being the Minus-One Element Technique, a diagnostic tool to determine soil nutrient deficiency. The station’s laboratory facilities have been further developed to improve its capability in developing location-specific varieties, particularly in improving the quality of rice and its by-products. October-December 2010, Vol. 23 No. 4

PhilRice Midsayap

Agusan as nutrient manager Located in Basilisa, RTRomualdez in Agusan del Norte, PhilRice Agusan was established beginning in August 1989 to service the rest of the Mindanao provinces too far from Midsayap. As the area is drenched by frequent rainfall year-round, problems frequently complained about by rice farmers are related to nutrient management. Zinc deficiency, for one, is a major setback. Thus, the station was strengthened as the nutrient management center of PhilRice. As it intensifies its nutrient management research activities, Agusan also participates in the yield trials of the National Cooperative Tests (NCT). It produces seeds of suitable varieties and makes them available to Mindanao farmers through technology promotion activities in tandem with local government units.

Isabela: hybrid rice center Long known as DA-Region 2’s Cagayan Valley Experiment Station (CVES) based in San Mateo town, PhilRice Isabela officially became a branch station in May 1991 with the sole aim of boosting rice production in Northeastern Luzon. The station pursues research on nutrient, water, and pest management, socioeconomics and policy studies. In 1998, with the felt need to promote hybrid rice, the way was paved for it to become the “hybrid rice center of PhilRice.” As such, its primary function is to develop, package, and promote hybrid rice and its related technologies. Through the concerted efforts of PhilRice Isabela, its partner agencies and local government units (LGUs), provinces in Region 2 30

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PhilRice Los Baños

are now among the top hybrid rice and seed-producing areas in the country.

Batac for dry land a g r i c u lt u r e The generally dry condition of the northern tip of the country has underscored the need for a station that specializes in the development of rice and rice-based farming systems adapted to the hot and dry conditions. Thus, in January 1999, PhilRice Batac was born, with big help from the National Tobacco Administration that made its facilities readily available. Located in Batac, Ilocos Norte, the station serves as the center for dry land agriculture R&D. It focuses on the improvement of rice-based cropping systems in semi-arid areas, and development of on-farm water conservation and storage techniques. Notably, the station has developed a unique planting calendar specifically suited to the dry conditions in the area and has come up with a modified method of direct dry-seeding of rice.

Negros for premium and mechanized rice About 8 years since the 1991 inauguration of its CES, PhilRice has completed the establishment of five branch stations. But the fact remained that these stations were too far apart to service the Visayas area. In July 2003, PhilRice Negros began to grow, with vital assistance from the Negros Occidental LGU, to cater to the needs of Visayan farmers. Based in Cansilayan, Murcia town, the youngest branch station

is mandated to develop specialty and premium rices. It also serves as the distribution center for quality seeds of high-yielding and diseaseresistant modern varieties chiefly suited for Western Visayas.

Unifying efforts toward self-sufficiency While the branch stations helped increase and improve services and support for farmers and other stakeholders, the CES remained the focal point for all major R&D initiatives in rice. It coordinates with other agricultural agencies and seed centers all over the country, including a PhilRice field office inside the campus of the Central Mindanao University in Musuan, Maramag, Bukidnon. As PhilRice pursues its corporate strategic plan for the next 10 years, it will continue to strengthen its branch stations’ research facilities and core personnel. It is also working to put up a new branch station in Albay to service the Bicol Region and Eastern Visayas. “As the branches cover the different agro-ecological zones, they enable us to deeply know what our farmers had been wanting. They are responsive to local production constraints and opportunities,” PhilRice Executive Director Ronilo A. Beronio said. “We will continue to boost the capabilities of our branches to enable them to undertake adaptive research suited to their respective areas of responsibilities, and for them to operate strategically,” he added.

October-December 2010, Vol. 23 No. 4

速

Alam N’yo Ba? MARIA ADRIELLE D. SOLSOLOY

PHILRICE TAPUY Ang tapuy o rice wine ay nagmula sa Ifugao, Mountain Province, at mga karatig-bayan. Ito ay gawa sa malagkit, o glutinous rice, at ginagamitan ng bubod upang tumapang ang katas. Sa mga katutubo, ipinaiinom ang tapuy kapag may mga mahahalagang okasyon o selebrasyon katulad ng pagpapasalamat sa masaganang ani sa iba’t ibang lugar sa norte. Sa PhilRice, pinagbuti ng mga mananaliksik ang paggawa ng mas mataas na kalidad na tapuy. Sa loob ng mga 10 taon, masasabing ang PhilRice Tapuy ay sadyang de-kalidad na inumin, kung kaya’t minabuting gawan ito ng may-dating na anyo bago ibenta sa merkado. Ang PhilRice Tapuy ay dumaan sa apat na anyo na kung saan nabagu-bago ang disenyo at itsura ng bote nito. Sa bawa’t pagbabagong-anyo ng bote at etiketa ay may kwentong nakatago.

B R E E D I N G N O O N AT N G AYO N Mula 1987, ang PhilRice ay nakapagdebelop na ng mahigit 80 na barayti na mataas umani, maresistensiya sa peste at sakit, at may maganda at masarap na kanin. Ang mga ito ay maaaring itanim sa may-patubig o sahodulang bukid, malamig at mataas na lugar, maalat, at katihan. Ayon kay Dr. Dindo Tabanao, 29 sa mga ito ay hybrid. Taong 1996 unang ginamit ng mga breeders sa PhilRice ang marker-aided selection o MAS, isang makabagong teknolohiya sa pagpapalahi upang mas madaling matukoy ang isang katangian ng palay. Ayon pa kay Tabanao, ang mga naunang produkto ng MAS ay ang NSIC Rc142 o Tubigan 7 na inilabas noong 2006, pati ang Rc154 o Tubigan 11. Pawang matibay sa bacterial leaf blight o BLB ang mga binhing ito.

MAKINARYA AT KAGAMITANG PAMBUKID

Ayon kay Dr. Manuel Regalado, isang inhinyero at eksperto sa mga makinarya at kagamitang pambukid, isang taon lang nila binuo ang naturang kalan. Ito Ang Maligaya Rice Hull Stove ang rin ang pinakamura sa lahat, na pinakamabilis nadebelop na pumapatak lamang sa P300 noong teknolohiya ng Rice Engineering and una itong labas at P850 na ngayon. Mechanization Division o REMD ng Samantala, ayon pa rin kay PhilRice. 32 32

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Regalado, ang pinakamatagal madebelop ay ang engine-driven transplanter na halos umabot ng pitong taon. Ito ay dahil na rin sa maraming prototype ang kinailangang gawin at subukan bago nakabuo ng isang modelo na maayos ang naisasagawang pagtatanim ng punlang palay.

PALAYMAN Si Palayman, ang opisyal na mascot ng PhilRice, ay anim na taong gulang na. Ipinakilala at inilunsad si Palayman noong taong 2004 habang ipinagdiriwang ang International Year of Rice. Ang ulo ni Palayman na gawa sa isang fiber; at tatlong pirasong damit na suot nito bilang kanyang costume ay magkakapatong kung kaya’t hindi rin ganoon kadali ang pagsuot nito. Si Carlito Bibal, isang artist ng PhilRice, ang kauna-unahang umaktong Palayman. Samantala, si Robert Arlen Baclit, ang lumikha ng disenyo nito. Sa ika-25 taong Anibersaryo ng PhilRice, muling nagbagong-anyo si Palayman. Inilunsad ang bagong katauhan ni Palayman sa madla noong Hulyo 29, 2010 nang isama ito sa isang motorcade at ipakilala sa “100 days to go, 25 years na tayo!” na programa ng PhilRice. Si Palayman, isang humanized rice seed, ay sumisimbolo sa mga makabagong magsasaka at matagumpay na seedgrowers na handang matuto at sumabay sa mabilis na pagbabago ng panahon upang makamit ang minimithing masaganang ani at mataas na kita. Kapag nakamit ang mga ito, madali nang malabanan ng bawa’t Pilipino ang kahirapan at malnutrisyon.

MAGAZINE Ang PhilRice Magazine ngayon ay nagsimula bilang isang simpleng pahayagan lamang. Ito ay tinawag na PhilRice Newsletter. Limitado lamang ang sirkulasyon at halos mga kaganapan lang sa institusyon ang nilalaman ng bawat pahina nito. Nagsimula ang pag-imprenta noong 1988 sa pamumuno ni Jonathan Nuñez, isang development communicator. Taong 2007 naman nang magsimulang maging magazine ang nasabing newsletter. Ang PhilRice Newsletter ay nakatanggap ng mga parangal tulad ng Gawad Oscar Florendo noong taong 2001, Binhi Hall of Fame Awardee noong 2007, at Binhi Agri Magazine of the Year noong 2009.

Bukod sa bahagyang komplikado ang disenyo nito, ang mga materyales na kinailangan nito ay hindi basta-basta. Tulad halimbawa ng pinakakritikal na bahagi ng makinang ito, ang mekanismo ng pagtatanim, ito ay nangangailangan ng bakal na mas matigas o matibay kaysa

sa karaniwang nabibili. Taong 1990, nagsimula ang paggawa at pagkalakal ng mga makinarya at kagamitang pambukid mula sa PhilRice. Nasa mahigit nang 25 ang klase ng makinarya na nadebelop ng PhilRice. Karamihan sa mga makinarya at kagamitang pambukid na ito ay dinisenyo

at isinagawa ng mga inhinyero mula sa REMD. Ilan sa mga ito ay naisagawa sa pamamagitan ng pakikipagtulungan sa ilang mga pribadong kompanya at ahensiya sa loob at labas ng bansa.

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O u r d ay s a s t h e t o p r i c e i m p o r t e r i n t h e w o r l d m ay s o o n b e o v e r , s o d e c l a r e d t h e n e w D A S e c r e t a r y, Hon. Proceso “Procy” Alcala.

he story of Siding Juarez was featured a few years back in an article by Delfin Mallari Jr. of the Inquirer.net. The farmer is among the many vegetable farmers on the steps of Mount Banahaw who have benefitted from the Sentrong Pamilihan ng Produktong Pangagrikultura ng Quezon located along the Maharlika Highway in Sariaya, Quezon. According to him, the trading post is their ticket out of the claws of the middlemen who reap the most profits from their produce.

The trading post is touted to be one of the biggest in the Philippines, even bigger than that in La Trinidad, Benguet. It was the brainchild of then Rep. Proceso Alcala, 2nd district, Quezon. Secretary Alcala believes he was picked for the Department of Agriculture (DA) post because the President saw his genuine concern and affection for the farmers of his province. He said, “Totoo pong binigyan natin ng espesyal na atensiyon at pagmamahal yung mga magsasaka 34

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Procy Steps up DA Plate

(Indeed, we gave the farmers special attention and care).”

This connection with the common folk should serve him well in his efforts now as the Philippine rice industry is chiefly dependent on small-time farmers.

Likewise, Alcala, a civil engineer, can boast of many accomplishments in his career, initially as a businessman, then as an environmentalist or development worker, and as a politician. Consequently, Pres. Aquino has given Alcala a rather tall order as he starts his stint in the DA: he wants the country freed from the shackles of rice importation in 3 years. It is quite a tough call given our country’s growing demand for rice, shrinking agricultural lands, and the expensive cost of producing rice. In 2009, the Philippines imported more than 1.7 MMT of rice. Alcala knows he will need all the king’s men, so to speak, if he is to accomplish this gargantuan task. This is where he says PhilRice plays

ALFRED FRANCO T. CABALLERO

an important role. “Malaki po ang inyong papel na gagampanan (You [PhilRice] will play a big role),” he said.

Procy and climate change Alcala, a six-year representative, posted a track record for coming up with programs that actually help his constituents. He was involved, in varying degrees, with a lot of bills that became laws, chief among them the Organic Farming Act, Expanded Senior Citizens’ Act, Climate Change Act, and the Mount Banahaw and San Cristobal Protected Landscapes Act. The Climate Change Act was hailed by British officials as a meaningful step for the Philippines toward addressing the various concerns arising from the world’s latest and meanest problem.

Rice farming is highly dependent on water. In the Philippines, only 3.1 M ha are irrigable and only 1.4 M ha of that have existing irrigation. Climate change can seriously alter weather patterns, consequently damaging rice yields. El Niño and La Niña phenomena, to mention a few, are confusing examples.

Procy for the Pinoy Sec. Alcala’s track record tells us that he is quite up to the challenges of his new post. It is refreshing to encounter such humility from a man with so much to crow about. He even tells his staff: “…kayo ang mas maalam dito, ako po’y dayuhan lang dito sa inyong tanggapan, kayo po ang mas magaling, makikinig po ako at tayo po’y mag-uusap para sa ikagagaling nating lahat na nasasakupan (…you know better, I am just an alien in your office, you are better, I will listen and let’s talk for the good of all).” This should serve him well considering his plans for agriculture. According to him, to catch his goal of rice self-sufficiency in 3 year’s time, he plans to increase the use of certified seeds. Certified seeds, according to experts, have

bigger chances of producing high yields.

achievements and, who knows Procy might just do the trick.

For areas without irrigation, he plans the use of upland seed varieties that need less water.

He realizes that transforming the agriculture sector by 2016 is a huge undertaking but he believes that “We can do it.”

He also plans to increase the area planted with hybrid rice. Neighboring countries have capitalized on hybrid rice, devoting huge areas of arable land for it. Leading the pack is China with more than 16.5 M ha of land devoted to hybrid rice resulting in an additional 300 MMT of rice. India plants 1.4 M ha and Vietnam plants 645,000 ha. He also emphasized the importance of post-harvest facilities for the proper handling of harvested rice.

“Sa 2016 po ay akin pong matamis na ngingitiin at saka po ipagyayabang sana, na sa ganung pagkakataon na ang atin pong mga mangingisda at magsasaka, ay naibalik na po ang karangalan sa kanilang personalidad at sila po ay totoong kumikita na po ng sapat para sa ikabubuhay ng kanilang pamilya (In 2016, I will show my sweet smile and hopefully with a tinge of pride, I will say that our fisherfolk, our farmers have regained dignity because they are really earning enough for their families).”

Sec. Alcala also promises to continue working with other government agencies including the research and development sector. Non-government organizations are likewise highly credible to Alcala.

Siding Juarez and his friends may just have another reason to be grateful to Procy for yet another big achievement. The nation, along with the farmers of Sariaya, look forward to this.

Procy and tomorrow Sec. Alcala is indeed an ambitious man and that is good news for us. Men with lofty dreams have always led their people to great October-December 2010, Vol. 23 No. 4

Corporate Strategic Plan ANDREI B. LANUZA Now in Place

he foundation of PhilRice’s corporate strategic plan is enveloped in one fundamental goal: help attain rice self-sufficiency by year 2013. Simply called “Strat Plan,” it was conceived as PhilRice’s direct support to the Philippine Rice Master Plan of the national government. It incorporates the results of various studies as well as findings of an external study that evaluated the impacts PhilRice has made in rice research and development (R&D), production, and industry development. Rice is a major driving force in Philippine economics and politics as it is our main staple. Population estimates speak of 93.6 M in 2010, 101 M in 2015, and 109.7 M in 2020. These figures alone warrant the need to increase rice production.

The three goals To help attain national rice selfsufficiency, the Strat Plan is anchored on three main goals: 1) attained and sustained rice selfsufficiency, 2) reduced incidence of poverty and malnutrition, and 3) achieved competitiveness in agricultural science and technology (S&T). These core goals are broken down into multiple key areas of concern which were infused in the various R&D programs and projects of the institute. In a nutshell, the first goal of the Strat Plan focuses on increasing rice production by fast-tracking and stabilizing productivity through improved rice varieties (suited for adverse ecosystems and climatic conditions), making available lowcost but reliable farm implements and machines, development of better crop management strategies, and empowering farmers’ decisionmaking through enhanced knowledge management. To help achieve this goal, PhilRice focuses on technology development in selected provinces 36

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This publication documents the plans of PhilRice in the next 3 years.

where rice yields average below 3.8 t/ha in irrigated and 2.5 t/ ha in rainfed areas through the Location-Specific Technology Development (LSTD) approach. LSTD provides specific technology recommendations (rice varieties, nutrients, farming systems, etc.) appropriate to a given locality. LSTD believes that not all farm areas have the same rice production-related problems. It veers away from providing blanket recommendations. LSTD revolves around two farming platforms localized, developed, and promoted by PhilRice–PalayCheck®

and Palayamanan®. The former is a holistic, integrated, and dynamic rice crop management system incorporating the best and appropriate key technologies and management practices as “keychecks.” It combines technologies, farmers’ best practices, and the learning process to ensure understanding and sustained adoption. On the other hand, Palayamanan returns farmers to the age-old practice of diversified farming akin to the concept portrayed in the folk song “Bahay Kubo”. Through the diversification of farm products (vegetables, livestock, fisheries,

Video conferencing is tapped to narrow the geographical gaps between rice agents and farmers.

etc.) and utilization of on-farm byproducts from these enterprises, Palayamanan aims to provide farmers with better nutrition (through diversified food intake) and added income (by reducing farm inputs). The second Strat Plan goal addresses the need to provide low-income farming households the necessary skills and knowhow on increasing productivity in rice-based production and market access to alleviate poverty. The Plan sees malnutrition as a close relative of low productivity. Malnutrition is reported to have increased among the 40 M Filipinos living below the poverty line. The United Nations accounts also show that around 3 M Filipino children are suffering from stunted growth due to malnutrition, even as their mothers themselves are malnourished or undernourished. Providing products, systems of operation, promoting diversified farming and diets, entrepreneurship, and valueadding can help mitigate these problems, the PhilRice Plan says. The third Strat Plan goal obliges

PhilRice to beef up its capabilities in advanced sciences to energize its competitiveness in increasing rice productivity, breeding more resistant varieties, and developing rices that can survive harsh and changing environments in a shorter period of time. The use and application of contemporary and advanced technology management, delivery systems, and learning techniques should also be explored. PhilRice aims to increase the use of new technologies, modernize its equipment, and utilize genomics, proteomics, and genetic engineering, to name a few. It will also optimize information and communications technologies.

A paradigm shift PhilRice Executive Director Ronilo A. Beronio asserts the Institute needs to shift away from the previous “ecosystem-based to season and location-based programs and projects”. He explained that PhilRice’s programs should be more focused on actual needs at the farmer level since many factors affect different farming areas, and

technologies must be able to fit these needs. He said that the Institute’s programs should be product- and marketoriented through the development of varieties, machines, diagnostic tools, etc. Divisions and branches, on the other hand, should continue to work on basic and upstream research as input to the technologies to be developed. Beronio also emphasized the need to strengthen rice research in low-yielding production areas in the country, particularly in upland and rainfed areas where minimal interventions have been made in the past but which are directly affected by climate change. Dr. Sergio Francisco and Dr. Flordeliza Bordey of PhilRice’s Socioeconomics Division believe that to achieve rice sufficiency, the country needs to increase national palay production by at least 5% in 2011, 7.5% in 2012, and 10% in 2013. PhilRice is now meeting the challenges of helping attain rice self-sufficiency by 2013.

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Speaking of PhilRice Compiled by MARIA ADRIELLE D. SOLSOLOY

On PhilRice’s silver anniversary, people from all walks of life were asked to tell their own touching-lives stories and to share their hopes for the next 25 years. Here’s what they said: “PhilRice touches my life through the information that I regularly receive. These pieces of information can reach not just one but many farmers who read my column. In this way, it is my honor to be of help in bridging the gap between farmers and the Institute. In the next 25 years, PhilRice will be known as a famous government agency in the county that breeds rice varieties that cater to the needs of the Filipino farmers.” – Thony Arcenal, Media Practitioner “PhilRice, in a way, I think taught us to be more prudent in consuming rice... Not to waste even a single bit or grain of rice spilled on the dining table... this way I think we can help conserve “rice energy” this side of the planet; Twenty-five years from today, I hope to see PhilRice evolving into a much bigger institution that is more responsive to the needs of the Filipino farmers and its stakeholders. And lastly, I hope to see it finally putting an end to the country’s perennial problem of rice over-importation.” – Steve Gosuico, Media Practitioner “In PhilRice as a former graphic artist, I learned these two things: (1) use time and resources more efficiently, and (2) be proud of my profession [I am an agriculturist]. After 25 years, PhilRice would be an institution fully respected by farmers, not just for its pro-farmers programs but because it was able to help transform their lives through its innovative and relevant technologies.” – Eli Avellanoza, Graphic Artist, Nueva Vizcaya State University “I appreciate that PhilRice is also taking into consideration the taste of rice it breeds. Aside from that, it also looks at the value or nutrients the rice can give to us. As a mother, I always see to it that my kids eat nutritious food, kaya it made me really interested on brown rice, which is said to be highly nutritious. Nag-experiment ako ng iba’t-ibang luto ng brown rice, and my kids enjoyed it kasi bago. Hopefully, in the next years, PhilRice will still develop rice varieties that are acceptable to us, with high nutrient contents, and of course, affordable.” – Lanie Calindas, Consumer, Baguio City “PhilRice has taught me a lot, but the most unforgettable one was the time I participated in the MOET E-learning Course. It’s not only about the technicalities of rice production that I learned but also the increase in knowledge of the medium that we used. Twentyfive years from now, PhilRice will still be PhilRice, as it leads the country in rice R&D.” – Lourdes Belonio, Extension Worker, Science City of Munoz, Nueva Ecija “PhilRice as an institution was contributory to my professional growth. As a study leader of the National Cooperative Testing for rice for several years, my competency as a researcher was honed. Having worked with renowned rice scientists, I was inspired to always put my best foot forward, which later enabled me to inculcate the ‘research culture’. PhilRice will continue to be at the forefront in developing technologies and innovations that will solve the country’s foremost problem on food security. With the increasing number of mouths to feed, PhilRice, in collaboration with other goverment agencies, NGOs/LGUs, and others should take the cudgels of strategizing ways to provide the staple food of the Filipino people. This institution should then take an active role to make our country not only self-sufficient but a future rice exporter.” – Dr. Miriam Pascua, President, Mariano Marcos State University

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“Dahil sa PhilRice, umasenso ang buhay naming pamilya. Ang mga teknolohiyang ibinahagi ng institusyong ito ay nagsilbing daan upang makamit namin ang masaganang buhay ngayon. Hindi ko nga rin aakalain na posible palang kumita sa pagbibinhi. Ngayon, hindi lang pamilya ko ang nakikinabang sa teknolohiyang ito kundi pati ang komunidad na ginagalawan ko kung saan karamihan sa amin ay naging seedgrower na rin. Sa susunod na 25 taon, naniniwala akong ang PhilRice ay isa pa ring matatag na institusyon. Dahil hangga’t may Pilipino na mahilig sa kanin, may PhilRice.” – Angelito Gamilla, Seedgrower, Science City of Munoz, Nueva Ecija “Ang pagkakaroon ng PhilRice ay isang napakalaking pribilehiyo sa aming mga magsasaka, lalo na sa amin dito sa Palawan. Nagpapasalamat kami sa PhilRice dahil nagkaroon ng pagkakataon na mabigyan- pansin din kami. Kung wala pa ngang LSTD na proyekto dito sa amin eh hindi ko pa malalaman na may PhilRice. Nang dumating ang PhilRice, unti-unti kaming namulat sa mga makabagong teknolohiya at na-engganyong matuto pa. Sana sa mga susunod pang taon, patuloy na matugunan ng PhilRice ang mga pangangailangan namin upang mapataas ang aming ani at kita. Maliban dito, mabigyan din sana ng pansin ang mga lugar na may hindi kalakihan ang sinasaka para kahit papano ay makaraos pa rin sa buhay.” – Paterno Enano, Farmer, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan “Ang pagpili ng barangay namin na maging bahagi ng mga proyekto nila, tulad na lang ng sa LSTD at sa e-village ng OpAPA, ay isang napakalaking pasasalamat na namin sa PhilRice. Ibang-iba talaga kapag may mga institusyong katulad ng PhilRice na handang tumulong sa mga magsasaka na umangat ang kabuhayan. Sa paraan pa lamang na iyon ay mararamdaman mo na ang sinseridad at magandang layunin ng PhilRice kung kaya’t habang ako pa rin ang kapitan ng barangay na ito, anumang ilalapit na teknolohiya at tulong ng PhilRice ay handa naming tanggapin at aralin. Siguro naman, ang unti-unting pagtaas ng ani ng mga magsasaka dito sa amin ang tanging paraan para maibalik namin sa PhilRice ang karampatang pagpuri. Sana patuloy pa rin ang mabuting gawain na ito ng PhilRice.” – Reynaldo Victoria, Barangay Captain, Bubulong Malaki, San Ildefonso, Bulacan

“I admire PhilRice for its innovative programs and advocacies that I firmly believe and share as very relevant in addressing the challenges of food security, biosafety, and ecological stability. Twenty-five years from now, I am confident that our country will surely become a net producer and exporter of high-quality rice and rice products.” – Dr. Honorio Soriano, President, Pampanga Agricultural College

“The strong collaboration we were able to establish with PhilRice, through the existence of the LSTD program and the assignment of Rice Sufficiency Officers in our place, indeed made a big difference not only in the rice farming community but also to us. We are very much privileged to be part of the PhilRice circle of networks, as this also made us boost our status in the rice industry. We are hoping that in the next 25 years, PhilRice will still consider the local government as a partner in achieving rice self-sufficiency in the Philippines.” – Dr. Rolando Semine, Provincial Agriculturist, Compostela Valley

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Magtanong sa mga Eksperto CHRISTINA G. ABADILLA-FREDILES

Tanong: Sagot:

Giikin ang palay sa lalong madaling panahon pagkagapas upang maiwasan ang pagbaba ng kalidad ng mga butil nito. Maraming posibleng mangyari sa ginapas kung ito ay matagal na maiiwan sa bukid. Isa na dito ang sobrang pagkatuyo (sa tag-araw) o posibleng pagkabasa (sa tagulan). Ang sobrang pagkatuyo ang dahilan ng paglagas ng maraming butil sa panahon ng pagtitimbon, pagbibigkis, at pagsasalansan.

Kailan po ba dapat gumiik ng palay? Noong nakaraang tag-ulan kasi ay nangitim at tumubo na ang aking palay bago ko nagiik. Anu-ano ba ang dapat isaalang-alang bago gumiik at anu-ano pa ba ang ibang mga paalala ukol sa tamang paggiik ng palay? Edgardo Villanueva, 54 San Jose City, Nueva Ecija

Sa paggamit ng mekanikal na panggiik, siguraduhing hindi basa o tumutulo ang palay upang maging mabilis ang paglilinis at paghihiwalay ng mga butil.

Kung basa naman ang ginapas na palay, mas lalong kinakailangan na ito ay magiik at maibilad kaagad. Sa pagsasalansan at pagtutumpok ay posibleng mag-init ang mga butil dahil sa pagkakulob nito. Kung mag-init ang mga butil, mangingitim o maninilaw ang bigas, o tutubo sa salansan ang mga butil. Iba pang paalala upang mabawasan ang mga natatapon o nasasayang na mga butil sa panahon ng paggigiik: 1 Ipuwesto ang thresher malapit sa salansan o tumpok na gigiikin upang makontrol ang paglagas ng mga butil habang dinarampot at isinusubo ang ginapas na palay sa panggiik. 2 Ipuwesto ang thresher na may blower at oscillating sieves sa isang patag na lugar upang hindi mahirapan ang makina na paghiwalayin ang dumi (chaff, impurities) sa mga butil. 3 Iwasang giikin ang sobrang basa o tumutulong palay kapag ang gamit ay mekanikal na panggiik 40

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dahil ang mga butil ay didikit sa mga parte ng thresher, na siya namang magpapahirap sa paglilinis at paghihiwalay ng mga butil. Subali’t kung hindi maiiwasan, unti-unting isubo ang basang ginapas na palay sa makina. Dagdag kaalaman: May tatlong uri ng nasasayang na mga butil sa panahon ng paggigiik. 1 Ang mga butil na hindi napitas. – Ang mga butil ay nananatiling nakakabit sa uhay dahil sa ang mekanikal na panggiik na ginamit ay pudpod na ang mga ngipin (peg teeth); hindi husto ang agwat sa pagitan ng dram at concave ng panggiik, o bungibungi na ang mga ngipin ng thresher.

2 Ang mga butil na nasama sa dayami. – Ang mga butil ay napitas na sa uhay nguni’t sumama naman sa dayami dahil sa sobra o hindi pantay na pagsubo sa makina. Ang bilis ng ikot ng dram ng panggiik na hindi isinunod sa rekomendado o nadisenyong bilis ay nagiging dahilan din ng pagkasayang ng mga butil. 3 Ang mga butil na tinangay ng hangin. – Ang blower ay tumatangay sa mga butil palabas dahil sa sobrang lakas ng hangin. Pasikipin ang blower upang mabawasan ang natatapong mga butil.

Dr. Ricardo Orge, Scientist I PhilRice’s Rice Engineering and Mechanization Division

2009 Philippine Rice R&D Highlights A corporate publication that documents results derived from well-conceptualized and implemented studies.

Technology bulletins

[

ice Disease Diagnostic Kit a non-technical bulletin on the major rice field diseases, which includes pictures for easier identification and diagnosis of diseases. ombine Harvester highlights the features, advantages of using the machine, and its basic operation. aboy tiller - features the PhilRice - improved floating or laboy tiller, a new machine for preparing fields that have soft and low bulk intensity soil, with deep mud reaching the waist.

[

New Q&A series

[

ritten in Filipino, this updated series of Q&A answers frequently asked questions on organic rice straw nutrient management, hybrid rice, varieties and seeds, integrated nutrient management, organic fertilizer, and rice biotechnology.

oster on Organic Rice Straw Nutrient Management - this technology poster, published in Filipino, contains information on the benefits of using rice straw to manage the soil's nutrients.

[ October-December 2010, Vol. 23 No. 4

速

The UNIDO Field Office in the Philippines partners locally with stakeholders —government agencies, NGOs, donors, and the private sector—to help the country develop a thriving productive sector, increase its participation in international trade and safeguard the environment. In this context, UNIDO partnered with PhilRice to support your biomass supply agreement with the Mariwasa Siam Ceramics Company and it has generated opportunities for poor farmers to earn much needed incremental income and allowed families to be together. We look forward to jointly undertake more projects that will similarly utilize innovativeness and ingenuity to provide income opportunities for the marginalized rice farmers. In behalf of UNIDO, I congratulate the Executive Director and the staff of PhilRice for your significant contribution to the nation’s continuing drive for the best interests of rice farmers and consumers. May your vision for the Philippines having a “sustainable, self-sufficient and competitive rice economy” be realized! Happy 25th anniversary, PhilRice!

Dr. Suresh Chandra Raj

United Nations Industrial Development Organization Representative There are two principal components in any strategy to reduce hunger: to improve agricultural productivity to increase food supply that feeds the expanding population and to bring about political will for promoting investments in the agricultural sector to ensure that all people have access to safe and nutritious food that they need for active and healthy life. That is what we aim and do for the world. I praise PhilRice for doing a great job in using the same approach in the Philippines. I am pleased that the relationship and close collaboration between FAO and PhilRice continue to strengthen in seeking our common goal of reducing hunger. Congratulations on your 25th anniversary.

Mr. Kazuyuki Tsurumi

Food and Agriculture Organization Representative in the Philippines The year 2010 is particularly momentous for both PhilRice and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) as we simultaneously celebrate important milestones: PhilRice is 25 years and IRRI turns 50. We are proud to have been associated with PhilRice even before its inception and consider it an invaluable partner in research and its utilization by Filipino farmers. Our institutions share similar visions that gravitate around developing and sharing technologies and know-how to help farmers produce more rice in a more profitable and sustainable way. PhilRice is a prominent partner in technology delivery and it is often the first recipient of IRRI research benefits. Our close relationship with PhilRice also facilitates the conduct of many of our field trials done with Filipino farmers, who generously share their land, experience, and efforts. PhilRice will face many tribulations ahead particularly as it tries to help shift the Philippines toward selfsufficiency in rice, and as climate change starts to intimidate rice production –challenges that the country could overcome with the right support. IRRI will sustain its involvement and is committed to helping PhilRice. I hope that the next 25 years with PhilRice will be as productive as the first, and that we make further headway to support the development of sustainable and profitable rice production in the Philippines to help lift rice farmers and consumers out of undeserved distress.

Dr. Robert S. Zeigler Director-General, IRRI 42

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It has never been in my plans and much less in my dreams that someday I would be starting institutions, making them grow, and in the process, influencing people, and in turn being influenced by them. Now, looking at PhilRice growing so fast as it moves into its 25th anniversary, we need to focus on strengthening the branch stations with their administrative authority and financial autonomy from the central office, yet still do things in line with the holistic programs of PhilRice.

Dr. Santiago R. Obien Former Executive Director, PhilRice (1986-2000)

I congratulate all my former colleagues who have worked with PhilRice through the years. The Institute we see now is the outcome of the efforts and sacrifices of many people who spent the most productive years of their lives working for the best interests of our farmers. There is no secret to the enduring success of PhilRice. It is obvious that the Institute had good people who developed good programs (innovative and creative) that generated resources, and resulted in good outputs that subsequently brought about positive impact on the Filipino farmers. The PhilRice flocks then and now sees sufficient incentive for science to help banish much of the country’s food difficulties. The Institute also developed and nurtured good relationships with other organizations that became its committed and reliable partners, and helped PhilRice make its outputs felt. I express gratitude to the partners and network members of the Institute who are truly part of the PhilRice family for supporting its various programs and activities. Without them, the usefulness and relevance of the Institute’s research would not have roared into vibrancy and life. Most of all, I thank our farmers for believing in PhilRice, thereby reassuring the Institute that it has good reason to exist. We owe our country a lot.

Dr. Leocadio S. Sebastian Former Executive Director, PhilRice (2000-2008)

The Technical Cooperation Project between PhilRice and Japan International Cooperation Agency (TCP3:20042009) attained target outputs and was upscaled into national level to realize rice self-sufficiency in the Philippines. Two factors, I think, contributed to the success of the project, namely power and dedicative spirit of PhilRice. Power of PhilRice derives from the outcome of its 25-year R&D activities in which principles of rice production have been established and concentrated into technology-transfer materials represented by “PalayCheck System.” Moreover, development of location-specific technologies to solve local problems helped increase yield in the target sites. Dedicative spirit was constantly manifested during the project implementation, which earned and nurtured the trust and solidarity of farmers. TCP3 farmers’ associations empowered farmers with the improvement of their situation. I hope PhilRice will play an important role to increase rice production in the Asian and African regions with its great wealth of knowledge and resources.

Nobuyuki Kabaki

National Agricultural Research Center, Japan (Chief Adviser of the Technical Cooperation Project 3 )

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PHILIPPINE RICE RESEARCH INSTITUTE Central Experiment Station Maligaya, Science City of Muñoz, 3119 Nueva Ecija Tel.: 63(044) 456-0113, -0285, -0258 • Telefax 63 (044) 456-0649, 0651-0652 Local: 511 or 512 • E-mail: prri@email.philrice.gov.ph Website: http://www.philrice.gov.ph • Text: 0920-911-1398 Entered as second class mail at Postal Region III under Permit No. 91