Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) is a government corporate entity attached to the Department of Agriculture created through Executive Order 1061 on 5 November 1985 (as amended) to help develop high-yielding and cost-reducing technologies so farmers can produce enough rice for all Filipinos.

 

The Institute accomplishes this mission through research and development work in our central and six branch stations, coordinating with a network that comprises 57 agencies and 70 seed centers strategically located nationwide.

 

Activities

• Develops rice lines and suitable varieties with yield potential of more than 10 t/ha - good grain quality that withstand stresses due to diseases, insects, and abiotic conditions.
• Promotes community-based conservation, natural and organic farming or diversified farming system models and enterprises.
• Advocates policies favorable to the country's rice industry.
• Enhances location-specific integrated crop management practices
• Develops producion management technologies and machineries to increase yield, reduce cost and losses, and protect the environment.

 

Facts and figures

• Established on November 5, 1985 through Executive Order (EO) 1061, later amended in 1986. 
• Operations started in mid-1987 at the UPLB Campus and after 16 years, PhilRice was transferred from DA to the Office of the President (OP)
• Last March 4, 2002, PhilRice was transferred from DA to OP through EO 76 to lead the implementation of the president’s flagship program - Hybrid Rice Program. 
• With 320 staff members and 970 service contractors (total of 1,920 staff members). Of which 73% are dedicated to research and development.
• PhiliRice aims to develop and promote te use of knowledge and technologies to ensure self-sufficiency and food security of the counrty.

 

Research and development

During the past years, PhilRice has focused on improving rice harvests and making the land productive. Now, PhilRice prepares for the future of rice and its environment with its new research and development programs: Coping with climate change, High-value products from rice and its environment, Farming without fossil fuel, Intensified rice-based agri-bio systems, and Future rice.

 

Crafting our new programs, however, does not imply that PhilRice is yet to address the trends in climate change, energy, natural resources, trade liberalization, and nutrition. For example, even before the climate change became a buzz word, PhilRice had been developing technologies to help rice farmers, which include, among others, breeding varieties that have resistance against saline, drought, and submergence.