History of Bicol

The History of PhilRice Bicol DA - PhilRice Bicol, established on March 25, 2011, is one of the seven stations of DA PhilRice, an attached agency of the Department of Agriculture, with an area of responsibility encompassing Bicol and Eastern Visayas Regions. Located at Brgy.

Batang, Ligao City, Albay, it has a total area of 21.5 ha including the 12.6 ha seed production in Brgy. Bay, Ligao City, Albay. The station aims to develop and disseminate strategies and technologies that will make rice and rice-based farming more resilient to climate change.

Former Albay district representative Fernando V. Gonzalez and Former Ligao City Mayor Linda P. Gonzalez submitted a request to DA – PhilRice Central Experiment Station for the establishment of PhilRice in Bicol. A total of 13 locations were considered which include Libmanan, Calabanga, Magarao, Caramoan, Burabod and Pamplona in Camarines Sur and Ligao City (Brgys. Cavasi, Bonga & Batang) and Libon in Albay. It was then resolved to establish the station in Ligao City, Albay due to its strategic location since it is the center of the whole Bicol Region and its close proximity to Region 8. In 2009, initial operation on seed production/varietal demonstration (2.1 ha) in the rice area of Mr, Ted Residilla was established with the following pioneering staff; Engr. Artemio B. Vasallo, Head; Gideon F. dela Cruz - AA 2; Dennis Mujar - SR Analyst; Jose Bejel, William Federico and Jason Quiped - Field Workers; Rolando Bello - utility worker; and 1 driver. There was a total area of 94,572 sq. m but only a portion was utilized since negotiations with the tenants were on-going. Full operation of the station started during the 2nd quarter of 2010 which focused on Location Specific Technology Development (LSTD), Adaptability Trial (inbred, upland and rainfed varieties), Seed Production and SAR Mapping. A Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the station and the LGU of Ligao City was also established wherein payment for the land acquisition and land rental were in the form seeds and commercial palay.

On March 25, 2011, ground breaking ceremony was conducted and attended by PhilRice Former Executive Director, Atty. Ronilo A. Beronio and Congressman Fernando V. Gonzalez.

Temporary Warehouse/Admin Office

Ground Breaking Ceremony on March 25, 2011

Construction of the Administrative Office started in 2012. Operations of the station was under the DA – PhilRice Los Banos of which PhilRice LB head, Mr. Diego G. Ramos, assigned Mr. Jessie Fernandez as the OIC of PhilRice Bicol. During this time, R&D Agenda were focused on Palayamanan, Upland Rice Development Program (URDP) and seed production. Farmer's Field Day was also conducted with more than 1,200 attendees.

First PhilRice Bicol Office in 2012

In mid-2013, Dr. Reynaldo C. Castro was appointed as the head of the station. R&D activities were centered through DA-funded projects/studies. Construction of BDD Building and warehouse, and seed processing facilities also started. Furthermore, the station has acquired 12ha of land in Brgy. Bay, Ligao City, Albay for seed production.

Construction of BDD Building and Warehouse in 2013

In 2014, Samar Satellite Station was established headed by Engr. Artemio B. Vasallo. On the same year, MOA between PhilRice (Dr. Eufemio T. Rasco Jr.) and University of Eastern Philippines (Atty. Mar p. de Asis) was realized as partners in the conduct of different research and development activities.

Moreover, R&D activities were mostly on core funded projects/study. Some of activities of the station were as follows: (1) Inauguration of PhilRice Bicol and Farmer’s Field Day, (2) Launching of the Rural Transformation Movement (RTM) and Farmer’s Field Day (3) Contract growing for seed production in Oas, Albay (10 ha) for WS 2014.

PhilRice Bicol Inauguration and Farmer’s Field Day on June 2, 2014

Furthermore, groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of laboratory and lodging facilities in PhilRice Bicol transpired in 2015. Also, contract growing for seed production (10 ha) for DS2015 was still on-going.

Ground Breaking of Laboratory and Lodging Facilities in 2015

In 2016, establishment of the Edible Landscape, conduct of trainings for IPs from Danao and Tiwi, Albay, and contract growing for seed production (10 ha) in San Agustin, Oas and Pawa, Tabaco City for WS 2016 were facilitated.

On June 2017, Dr. Victoria C. Lapitan was appointed as Officer-in-Charge of the station. The station spearheaded the Regional Rice R4D Consultation Meeting & Workshop last October 4-5, 2017 which was attended by almost 70 participants from

PhilRice Bicol, DA RFO 5 & 8, other DA Regional attached agencies, SUCs, PLGUs/MLGUs, Seed Growers, Farmer Associations/Coops, Office of Provincial Agriculture of different provinces in two regions, and other private organizations.

This resulted to the identification of problems, research gaps, and challenges in the Rice Research for Development (R4D) in Regions 5 and 8 which were integrated in the station’s Development Plan for 2018-2022.

Regional Rice R4D Consultation Meeting and Workshop, October 4-5, 2017

In 2018, the Laboratory and Lodging Facilities and Seed Warehouse were inaugurated and has acquired Region 8 as part of the area of responsibility. The station again entered into a contract growing agreement for an additional area of 8.12 ha for seed production in Albay for WS 2018. During this year, the station was able to generate PhP 3M fund from DA RFO 5 to support the three (3) existing development projects at the station including PhP 350,000 worth of capital outlay.

This resulted to a greater number of farmers and other stakeholders being reached by the station thru these projects. Attached is the list of R&D projects from 2012 to 2018.

With the enactment of Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) in 2019, high quality inbred seeds became available to more than 92,000 farmer beneficiaries in the provinces of Albay, Camarines Sur, Masbate and Sorsogon for Region 5 and in Samar, Leyte, Southern Leyte and Biliran for Region 8 which is expected to increase their productivity by 5-20%. In 2020WS, through the said program, it strengthened the Seed Growers’ Association in Region 8 which resulted to increase in the supply of high-quality seeds from local seed growers by 30%.

RCEF Seed Delivery and Inspection, and Distribution to different municipalities in Regions 5 & 8

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Organizational Building and Strengthening of Seed Growers in Region 8, February 5-7, 2020

Furthermore, based on the consolidated data from 2018 until 1st semester of 2021, a total of 171, 579 copies of different kinds of KPs and IEC materials were disseminated through One Stop Information Shop (OSIS) and exhibits across Bicol and Eastern Visayas Regions. The station was able to partner with different LGUs, SUCs, and barangays in Regions 5 & 8 in the dissemination of these materials.

Lakbay Palay Rice Exhibit and distribution of KPs

A total of 48 sites for the Binhing Palay Farms (BPFs) were established from 2018WS to 2021DS which ensured intensive and pro-active promotion and dissemination of sustainable technologies particularly on high quality seeds and appropriate information needs for Bicol and Eastern Visayas Regions.

BPF in PhilRice Bicol Station

BPF in Samar Satellite Station

Moreover, the creation of RiceBIS community in Albay and Masbate have served a total of 26 farmer organizations and 1,645 farmers. The station also assisted these RiceBIS clusters to develop an inclusive, competitive and sustainable agroenterprise community model such as dried palay, milled rice and unpolished black glutinous and red rice to increase their income by 25%.

Different RiceBIS activities conducted in Masbate and Albay

Through established excellent work partnership and collaboration with industry players (DA RFO 5 & 8, BPI NSQCS 5 & 8, ATI, NFA, NIA, PCIC, DTI, PLGU, MLGU, SUCs and other stakeholders within the two regions, it brought in partners and additional funds for R&D implementation and station development, especially on infrastructure and farm equipment.

Partnership collaboration to different stakeholders

Expansion of contract growing for seed production was also observed in 2020 and 2021 to 6.5ha and 9.5ha, respectively.

Through the hard work and perseverance of staff, DA – PhilRice Bicol was awarded the Best Station based on its overall performance and good governance for two consecutive years; 2018 Special Citation and 2019 Best Branch Station. Also in 2019, the FMU was awarded as the Best Team while Dr. Victoria C. Lapitan received the 2019 PhilRice Most Outstanding Official and 2020 Civil Service Commission Pagasa Regional Award. Furthermore, the station got an ISO 9001:2015 (Quality Management System) on January 29, 2020 from SOCOTEC Certification International. In the assessment process, the station has “No Nonconformities” but just minor observations for improvement. Commendable findings were 1) very organized seed warehouse and admin offices, and 2) spotless dormitory.

ISO 9001:2015 (Quality Management System), SOCOTEC Certification International

2018 Dangal ng PhilRice – Best Station (Special Citation)

2019 Dangal ng PhilRice: Best Station, Most Outstanding Official (VC Lapitan), Best Team (Special Citation, Finance & Management Unit)

With this new normal set-up, PhilRice – Bicol, as the lead in rice R4D for climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction and mitigation in the Bicol and Eastern Visayas regions, still continues to: (1) increase productivity and profitability in rice farming; (2) ensure availability and access to High Quality Seeds (HQS); (3) improve knowledge management; (4) strengthen partnerships; and (5) enhance extension and training services, and access to information technology, to achieve its vision of having a rice-secure country.

PhilRice Bicol staff during the 35th PhilRice founding anniversary

LIST OF R and D PROJECTS/STUDIES (2012 to 2018) YEAR 2012

2013

RESEARCH RIICE Development of Crop Management For Irrigated and Upland Rice Ecosystems in Southern Luzon Study 1. Integrated Crop and Nutrient Management for Upland Rice Study 2. Fate of nitrogen from organic and inorganic fertilizers under irrigated lowland and upland rice condition Yield Response Analysis of Lowland Rice Grown in Pili Series in Different Locations Adaptability Test of Newly Released and Promising PhilRice-Bred Hybrids Development of Soil Series Guidebook for Bicol and EVR The use of DSSAT rice crop model to evaluate the yield potential of irrigated lowland rice under different nutrient management levels and climate types in the Philippines Salinas Variety Trials

KOPIA in partnership with CBSUA 2014

DEVELOPMENT Location Specific Technology Development (LSTD) Palayabangan 10-5 Challenge

Palayabangan 10-5 Challenge

Scaling-up the Adoption of AWD and other Associated Rice Production Technologies that are Resource-Use Efficient in Region 5 Intensified Rice Based Agri-BioSystem (IRBAS) – PhilRice Bicol Soil Information System Upland Rice Development Program (URDP)

Core Funded The use of DSSAT rice crop model to evaluate the yield potential of irrigated lowland rice under different nutrient management levels and climate types in the Philippines

2015

2016

Externally Funded Yield and growth performance evaluation of rice under different ecosystems and known soil and climatic types in Bicol Region

Core Funded The use of DSSAT rice crop model to evaluate the yield potential of irrigated lowland rice under different nutrient management levels and climate types in the Philippines

Rice Crop Manager: A comprehensive decision support tool for increasing the yield and income of rice farmers in the Philippines Selection and evaluation of best farming practices during adverse climatic condition Characterizing Flooding Events And Profiling The Capacity Of Rice Farmers To Adapt Changing Climatic Condition Core Funded Knowledge Sharing and Learning Activity for Input Providers as Rice Extension Intermediaries (REI)

Palayabangan 10-5 Challenge Externally Funded Enhancing the productivity and income of Bicolano farmers through the Palayabangan and Palayamanan Plus Selection and evaluation of best farming practices during adverse climatic condition Characterizing Flooding Events And Profiling The Capacity Of Rice Farmers To Adapt Changing Climatic Condition Core Funded Palayabangan 10-5 Challenge

SARAI

Externally Funded NCT Hybrid Multilocational Yield Trial Fate of nitrogen from organic and inorganic fertilizers under irrigated lowland and upland rice condition Yield and growth performance evaluation of rice under different ecosystems and known soil and climatic types in Bicol Region

Learning Center One-Stop Information Shop PalaYamaNayon: The Rural Transformation Movement in Bicol Be Riceponsable Intensified Rice Based Agri-BioSystem (IRBAS) – PhilRice Bicol AgroMet Externally Funded Philippine Rice Information System (PRISM) Upland Rice Development Program (URDP) Selection and evaluation of best farming practices during adverse climatic condition Characterizing Flooding Events And Profiling The Capacity Of Rice Farmers To Adapt Changing Climatic Condition Accelerating the Development and Dissemination of Associated Technologies on Rice Production that are Resource-Use Efficient Weed Shift in Rice Grown in Water-Saving Technology Project IPaD- Knowledge Sharing and Learning Activity for Rice Extension Intermediaries

Core Funded

Anthropological and Socio-economic Characterization of Bicol’s Agta Indigenous Peoples: Phase II of Enhancing the Capabilities of Bicol’s Agta IPs through Palayamanan Approach Rice Crop Manager: A comprehensive decision support tool for increasing the yield and income of rice farmers in the Philippines Enhancing the productivity and income of Bicolano farmers through the Palayabangan and Palayamanan Plus Core Funded

Multi-Location yield trial

Palayabangan 10-5 Challenge Learning Farm AgroMet Development, Establishment and Assessment of Palayamanan Plus Model for PhilRice Bicol

2017

Externally Funded Characterization and Benchmarking of Stress-prone Rice Ecosystem (244D-RTF-031) Development of an Integrated Crop Management Package for Rice in Saline-prone Areas for Increased Productivity Evaluation and Adaptation of Rice Intergrated Crop Management Technologies to Enhance Yield and Reduce Input Costs in Irrigated Lowland (7-7 Challenge) Collection and Evaluation of Farmers’ Rice Lines in Irrigated and Rainfed Lowland Areas in the Philippines

Rice Business Innovation Systems Community Localization of knowledge products and enhancing the KSL activities Externally Funded Enhancing the productivity and income of Bicolano farmers through the Palayabangan and Palayamanan Plus Accelerating the Development and Dissemination of Associated Technologies on Rice Production that are Resource-Use Efficient Monitoring of Rice – Based Farm Households in Major Rice Producing Provinces in the Philippines

Philippine Rice Information System (PRISM)

Upland Rice Development Program (URDP)

Core Funded Vulnerability and Risk Assessment of Climate Change Affected Rice Ecosystems in Bicol and Eastern Visayas Reducing Vulnerability to Climate Change through Rice-Based Farming Systems

Externally Funded

2018-2020

Development of an Integrated Crop Management Package for Rice in Saline-prone Areas for Increased Productivity Rice Crop Manager

Collection and Evaluation of Farmer's Rice Lines in Irrigated and Rainfed Low land Areas in the Philippines

Characterizing Flooding Events and Profiling the Capacity of Rice Farmers to Adapt to Changing Climatic Condition Selection and Evaluation of Best Farming Practice: Sorjan Farming System PHASE II of Enhancing the Capabilities of Bicol's Agta Ips through Palayamanan Approach Core Funded Promoting Rice Science through Capacity Enhancement and Technology Information Campaign Rice Community Business Innovations System (RiceBIS) - Bicol Strengthen seed production and distribution pathways in Bicol and Eastern Visayas (Rice Seed Systems) Philippine Rice Information System (PRISM) in Regions V and VIII Externally Funded Accelerating the Development and Dissemination of Associated Technologies for Direct-Seeded Rice Production in Irrigated and Rainfed Ecosystem Anthropological and Socioeconomic Characterization of Selected Indigenous Farming Communities in Bicol Region: Phase II of Enhancing the capabilities of Bicol’s Agta IP’s through Palayamanan Approach Characterization and Benchmarking of Flood-Prone, Submergence-Prone, Drought-Prone, Saline-Prone Ecosystems

Evaluation and Adaptation of Rice Integrated Crop Management Technologies to Enhance Yield and Reduce Input Costs in Irrigated Lowland (7-7 Challenge) NCT Hybrid Rice Core Funded Project 1: Reducing Vulnerability to Climate Change through Rice-Based Farming Systems Approach (Branch Research Initiatives) Study 1: Development of Palayamanan Plus for SalineProne Rice Area in Bicol region Study 2: Development of Palayamanan Plus for Drought-Prone Rice Ecosystems in Bicol region 2021-2022

Project 2: Location Specific Technology Trials Study 1: Long Term Soil Fertility Experiment Study 2: PRISM Study 3: NCT for Hybrid

Core Funded Rice SUSTAIN (Sustainable Technologies and Appropriate Information Needs) for Increased Productivity and Profitability (Branch Development Initiatives) Component 1: iCARE (Increasing Capacity Advancements through Rice S&T Education) for Bisakol (Bisaya & Bikol) Farmers Component 2: EXTEND Rice (Enhancing Extension, Technology, and Innovation Dissemination) in Bicol and Eastern Visayas Regions Component 3: Rice S&T Dissemination through Palay, Teknolohiya, at Binhi Demonstration Farm Rice Community Business Innovations System (RiceBIS) – Bicol; Phase 2 (Milagros, Masbate); Expansion (Mandaon, Masbate) Philippine Rice Information System (PRISM) in Regions V and VIII

Externally Funded Study 4: Selection and dissemination of Elite Salttolerant Rice Varieties to AFACI-Member Countries Study 5: Rice Crop Manager Philippines Phase III: Transition to Operational Sustainability for Research and Dissemination from IRRI to DA Study 6: Verification Trial for MP Seeder