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PhilRice gets P91-million budget for 2011 |
MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) is getting a P91-million budget for next year, a drastic cut from its current allocation of P435 million.
This was revealed yesterday during the Senate committee on finance hearing on the Department of Agriculture’s proposed 2011 budget.
The PhilRice’s drastic budget cut prompted Sen. Edgardo Angara to question the DA’s goal of achieving rice self-sufficiency in just three years.
Angara described the three-year self-sufficiency target of the DA as “ambitious” but was surprised why the DA has chosen to reduce PhilRice’s budget to P91 million from its current allocation of P435 milion.
Angara pointed out that PhilRice is supposed to be included in the DA’s self-sufficiency strategy.
Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala defended the decision to cut PhilRice’s budget next year, saying the attached agency had strayed from its mandate of research and development (R&D).
Alcala even criticized PhilRice for “executing projects.”
Alcala has consolidated the former Ginintuang Masaganang Ani (GMA) Rice program headed by Dr. Frisco Malabanan, into a Corn and Rice Program headed by Assistant Secretary Dennis Araullo who used to be the former GMA corn program national coordinator.
The success of the then GMA rice program was anchored on its hybrid rice program.
Dr. Malabanan has returned to PhilRice.
Noting that the DA’s budget has been cut, Sen. Angara suggested the abolition, merger or fusion of some DA attached agencies which no longer serve their purpose.
Among the agencies he proposed for abolition, merger or fusion with other DA agencies were the Fiber Industry Development Authority, the National Dairy Administration, the Cotton Development Authority and even the National Tobacco Administration.
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Top official, global partners laud PhilRice
Written by The Web Team
Monday, 04 October 2010
An official of the country and bilateral collaboration projects congratulated the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) for its accomplishments as the country’s lead agency in rice science and development for 25 years.
“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,” Vice President Jejomar Binay stated in his letter to PhilRice.
Other than helping the country achieve rice self-sufficiency, an external review on PhilRice’s impact revealed that for 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 external reviewers said. 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. On the other hand, PhilRice’s global partners congratulated the Institute for its efficient and effective implementation of the joined projects across the country.
“PhilRice-JICA Project was successfully accomplished. I believe that PhilRice has already grown up as a world-famous leading rice institution for 25 years since it was established. Its built up capability would be surely useful in the development of rice technology in the world,” said Hitoshi Takahashi, former Team Leader for the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to PhilRice.
Meanwhile, Nobuyuki Kabaki, a JICA expert added that the “power and dedication of PhilRice staff contributed to the success of the PhilRice-JICA projects.”
Through rice science and development, PhiRice has helped rice farmers increase their household income from P57,021 in 1996/1997 to P83,284 in 2006/07, results of the Integrated Farm Household Analysis Project revealed. In spite of the increase, economists based at the Institute call for policies allowing farmers to enjoy higher price as the increase in income may not be enough to sustain the purchasing power of rice-based farm households due to inflation.
Kazuyuki Tsurumi , Food and Agriculture Organization Representative in the Philippines, said PhilRice “did a great job” in implementing FAO’s approach in reducing hunger, which includes improving agricultural productivity and “bringing about political will for promoting investments in the agricultural sector.”
Dr. Suresh Chandra Raj, Philippine Envoy of the United Nations International Development Organization (UNIDO), meanwhile, noted the significant contribution of PhilRice the “nation’s continuing drive for the best interest of rice farmers and consumers.”
Farmer-participants in the Location-Specific Technology Development (LSTD) program had increased their yield to at least 20 cav/ha. 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.
To further serve the farmers, PhilRice crafted its medium and long-term corporate plans focusing on helping to attain and sustain rice self-sufficiency; reducing poverty and malnutrition; and achieving competitiveness in agricultural science and technology.
Morever, PhilRice Executive Director Ronilo A. Beronio, coined the “Rice Science for Development (S4D) as the Institute’s battle cry for self-sufficiency. Through S4D, people’s choices will be widened; options on enjoying long, healthy, and decent life, will be provided; education or trainings of science workers will be prioritized.
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