DA gives inbred rice seeds to Pampanga, Bulacan farmers

By Zorayda Tecson

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – The Department of Agriculture (DA) through its Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) has started the distribution of certified inbred seeds to farmers in this province and Bulacan.

Dr. Flordeliza Bordey, director of the RCEF Program Management Office at DAPhilippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) RCEF Program Management Office, said on Tuesday that some 174,000 sacks of certified inbred rice seeds weighing 20 kilos each have been allotted for the two provinces in this year’s wet season.

Of the total figures, Bordey said that some 100,000 sacks of inbred rice seeds are intended for farmers in Pampanga while 74,000 are for farmers in Bulacan.

Among the seed varieties for distribution are the NSIC Rc 160, Rc 218SR and Rc 222.

“As we approach the peak of the planting season in these two provinces, we are excited to see farmers start sowing these high-quality seeds and reap the benefits of the RCEF program,” Bordey said in a radio program.

Jenaliza Bohol, a farmer from Barangay Jalung, Po - rac, this province said the RCEF program is a big help for them.

“Napakaganda po ng programa kasi ang laking tipid talaga at siguradong dekalidad pa ang binhing maitatanim namin (The program is very good because we saved a lot in the production cost and the seeds for planting are of high quality),” Bohol said.

Based on actual field studies and demonstrations conducted by DA-PhilRice, certified inbred rice seeds produce higher yields compared to ordinary seeds and can withstand different rice diseases.

SCHOOL BUILDING PROGRAM. Representatives from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and Department of Education (DepEd) in the Cordillera Autonomous Region and Regions 1 to 3 convene in separate groups to discuss current concerns and issues related to the implementation of the government’s School Building Program in an inter-agency coordination meeting held at Clark Freeport, Pampanga on Tuesday (May 9, 2023). The meeting aimed to address issues related to educational infrastructure. (Photo courtesy of DPWH Region 3)