ILOILO City – Reducing rice wastage can help ensure the region’s food security, thus for this National Rice Awareness Month (NRAM) celebration the Department of Agriculture (DA) in Western Visayas has lined up various activities promoting responsible rice consumption.
Its Be RICEponsible campaign highlights the “A-Ba-Ka-Da” message of “Adlay, corn, banana, and other staples to mix with rice; Choose brown rice; Don’t waste rice; and Always buy Filipino rice”.
NRAM activities in Region 6 kicked off on November 5 at the Western Visayas Integrated Agricultural Research Center (WESVIARC) in Jaro district.
Highlights included a Rice Technical Caravan, a “Pinasarap na Kanin” Cooking Challenge, and a “Palay Alamin!” Quiz Bee.
Zarlina Cuello, DA-6 regional technical director, commended rice farmers in the region for their resilience in rice cultivation amid various challenges.
She urged the public to support locally-produced rice and adopt healthier alternatives, like brown rice and rice blends, while stressing the importance of minimizing rice wastage to honor farmers’ hard work.
During a Rice Technical Forum, farmers from various Iloilo municipalities received updates on the Masagana Rice Industry Development Program from DA representative Ian Calibara, as well as information on rice crop insurance from Regional Manager Eva Ulie Laud and Jose Ma. Torres of the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC).
The National Food Authority’s (NFA) palay procurement program was also discussed by NFA regional manager Herielle Jumagbas.
In the “Pinasarap na Kanin” Cooking Challenge, Susan Tespoer and Brenda Hansson from Guimaras clinched first place, winning a P10,000 cash prize and an electric oven.
The contest promoted rice mixed with local staples like adlay, corn, banana, taro, sweet potato, and cassava.
Additional rice-mix dishes included “No-Bake Rice and Potato Lasagna with Samosa,” “Rickma Arrez Concaldo with Veggie Balls & RMS Blends,” “Arroz Caldo de Adlai,” “Brown Rice with Taro Toppings,” and “Rice Pastil.”
The “Palay Alamin!” Quiz Bee featured 10 teams, each comprising a rice farmer and a local farmer technician from different municipalities. Helen Bolivar and Gerry Graciosa from Mina, Iloilo, emerged as the champions, with Cabatuan and Leon teams following closely.
Regional Information Officer James Earl Ogatis promoted the Philippine Rice Research Institute’s “Half-Cup Full Heart Challenge,” which encourages participants to eat only half a cup of rice per meal and share their experiences on Facebook for a chance to win cash prizes up to P40,000.
Other NRAM activities organized by DA Western Visayas include the Be RICEponsible Facebook Reel and Rice Photography Contests, as well as a Be RICEponsible Feeding Program scheduled for November 16, in conjunction with a bloodletting event at the Iloilo Science and Technology University La Paz Campus.
The month-long NRAM celebration will culminate on November 29 in Iloilo City with an award ceremony recognizing the region’s top rice producers for the wet cropping season, who benefitted from DA’s interventions under the Masagana Program./PN
