SCIENCE CITY OF MUÑOZ – Over 60 agency staff and workers labored in planting rice to create images that honor farmers and a prayer for a successful May 9 national and local elections at the Philippine Rice Research Institute in Barangay Maligaya here for this year’s paddy art.
The paddy art of combined NSIC Rc 10 and traditional purple rice varieties features two figures: a famer with the inscription 19.96 MMT and the phrase Vote s.a.f.e. Pilipinas.
“The farmer’s image along with the 19.96 MMT figure signifies that this accomplishment is for and by the hardworking rice farmers of our country,” said Nehemiah L. Caballong, paddy rice lead artist, referring to the 19.96 million metric tons of rice the Philippines produced in 2021.
The other is for safe, secure, accurate, free and fair elections Pilipinas, a support to the campaign of the Commission on Elections with election stakeholders.
Jose Mari Z. Nombrere, one of the leads in this 14th paddy art planting, explained that the artwork also aimed to create awareness on colored varieties like the purple rice.
The figures can be seen at the PhilRice’s Future Rice Farm that was established in 2015 and now open for group visitors aged 18 to 64 from places where the Covid-19 alert level classification is the same with Nueva Ecija, according to PhilRice information office.
Visitors though have to first send a letter of their intention to visit with an endorsement from the local government unit of origin.
*Photos by Armand Galang
