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| ON STAGE: (left to right) PhilRice Executive Director Dr. Eufemio T. Rasco, Ligao City Mayor Patricia Gonzalez-Alsua, RTD for Operations and Extension Elena delos Santos, Albay 3rd District Congressman Fernando V. Gonzalez, Former Ligao City Mayor Linda P. Gonzalez, and PhilRice Board of Trustees Dr. Teodoro Mendoza |
Regional Technical Director for Operations and Extension of
DA-RO5 Elena de los Santos said that despite being the smallest branch of PhilRice,
the Bicol station has the potential for rice-based Agri-Biosystem. She also
stressed that the establishment of PhilRice Bicol at Ligao is favorable to the
Department of Agriculture (DA).
However, former Ligao City Mayor Linda P. Gonzalez lightheartedly
disagreed, as it is more favorable for Ligao to be the home ground of PhilRice
Bicol. She said that since the time of former Mayor Fernando V. Gonzalez- now
Congressman of Albay Third District- it has already been planned to have
PhilRice Bicol situated at Ligao City. Through the collaborative efforts of
local government officials and personnel, the station was successfully
established at Batang, Ligao City on March 25, 2010.
Mayor Linda Gonzalez also sought the agreement of PhilRice
on the potential of PhilRice-Bicol to become one of the central experiment
stations by achieving additional experimental fields.
PhilRice Executive Director Eufemio T. Rasco also shared significant
information on the best starting point in rice farming. He explained the importance
of mushroom vermiculture and the use of nucleus state strategy in which the agricultural
services are initially offered on the surrounding barangays.
Furthermore, Congressman Fernando V. Gonzalez also
emphasized the importance of technology transfer which is one of the primary
roles of the PhilRice Bicol. Farmers should be guided with the knowledge and
skills on the application of technology innovations. It is then the role of
PhilRice Bicol to facilitate the technology transfer from and to stakeholders
in order to achieve high production and high income.
Congressman Gonzalez, being a representative of Albay in the
Congress, also expressed his commitment in helping PhilRice-Bicol fulfill its
mission and develop agricultural research in Bicol.
PhilRice-Bicol focuses on rice research with emphasis to
climate change. However, Dr. Reynaldo Castro, branch manager of PhilRice Bicol,
said that the station also covers areas of rice research that address the needs
of Bicol farmers.
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