The Philippines
May 14, 2026
Innovations in hybrid rice seed production, climate resilience, and nutrition-focused rice initiatives earned a branch station of the country’s lead rice research and development agency recognition from the Civil Service Commission (CSC).
The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) Isabela was named a regional qualifier for the 2026 Gawad Pagasa under the CSC’s Gawad Lingkod Bayani with the recognition conferred on May 12.
Among the initiatives highlighted in its nominations include innovations in hybrid seed production implemented through the station’s Business Development Unit and the Rice Development Initiatives for Cagayan Valley and CAR Environments.
Joy Bartolome A. Duldulao, PhilRice Isabela branch director, said production of parent seeds for hybrid rice reached more than 59,000 kg, supporting around 3,000 ha in Mindanao and generating an estimated 4,500 mt of hybrid rice seeds for farmers.
The station also produced parent seeds for Mestizo 1 hybrid rice, sustaining 490 ha and generating 490 mt of planting seeds.
Duldulao said contract-growing arrangements helped revive inactive cooperatives, sustain seed supply, and generate livelihood opportunities for farmer groups. Hybrid seed ventures and other income-generating activities resulted in around PhP22 million net income over the last three years.
“This recognition affirms that our programs are creating measurable impacts on farmers and communities through science-based and collaborative approaches,” he said.
CSC also recognized the expansion of the Malusog Rice Program where the area devoted to high-zinc rice production increased from 1.9 ha in 2023 to 41 ha in 2024, supported by local procurement efforts and market testing that showed strong consumer demand for healthier rice options.
Implementation of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund was also cited with more than 1.4 million bags of certified seeds distributed to over 612,000 farmers covering around 655,000 ha in Region II and the Cordillera Administrative Region.
Documents also showed that some farmers reported harvests of up to 8.7 t/ha and net returns reaching PhP50,000/ha.
Community resilience initiatives through Rice Business Innovations System 2.0, climate-smart mapping, and the Philippine Rice Information System also contributed to the recognition by helping speed up assessment of typhoon and flood impacts in rice-producing communities.
Thousands of farmers were trained on Philippine Good Agricultural Practices while hundreds of farms received certification to improve market access and strengthen local rice enterprises.
“We share this recognition with our partners, cooperatives, local governments, and farmers who continue to work with us in improving rice productivity and resilience in their communities,” Duldulao added.
The award for the station was received by Dr. Ofelia C. Malonzo, Fernando D. Garcia, Jerry D. Batcagan, Rouella S. Melegrito and Dr. Fidel M. Ramos. Duldulao was unavailable to receive the award due to an invitational training on rice value chain in South Korea.
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