SCIENCE CITY OF MUÑOZ (PIA) — The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) has reaffirmed its commitment to food security by strengthening its partnership with Seed Growers’ Cooperatives and Associations (SGCAs) through the first SGCA National General Assembly.
Participated in by over 500 seed growers nationwide, the event was organized under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) Seed Program and was held in the Science City of Muñoz for Luzon as well as in the cities of Iloilo and Davao for Visayas and Mindanao, respectively.
This initiative aligns with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s commitment to boosting the country’s agricultural production and expanding support for farmers, as highlighted in his 2025 State of the Nation Address (SONA).
“Pinataas natin ang produksyon ng palay, mais, pinya, saging, mangga, kape, cacao, calamansi, tubo, sibuyas, bawang, at iba pang mga agricultural products. Mula nagsimula itong Administrasyon, mahigit walo at kalahating milyong magsasaka at mangingisda ang nakatanggap ng tulong. Lalo pa natin paiigtingin ang mga programa ng pamahalaan para mas marami pa ang matutulungan,” the Chief Executive stated.
PhilRice RCEF Program Management Office Director Flordeliza Bordey said the assembly served as a platform to address real challenges in the field of seed production and distribution.
“This is more than just a meeting. It’s a move to solve real challenges in the field. We agreed to improve seed availability, speed up delivery, and maintain quality at every step,” she added.
Part of the assembly is also the conduct of assessment where the performance of SGCAs under Phase 1 of the RCEF Seed Program was reviewed, best practices were shared, and defined policies for the program’s second phase.
During the review, Bordey highlighted that from 2019 to 2024, the RCEF Seed Program and the Department of Agriculture National Rice Program Inbred Seed component distributed approximately 20 million bags of certified inbred rice seeds to over two million farmers across 78 provinces.
Recognizing the vital role of cooperatives in this achievement, PhilRice honored top-performing partner SGCAs during the event.
In Luzon, the Isabela Seed Growers Multi-Purpose Cooperative was named Best Seed Growers Cooperative for its consistent quality and timely delivery, which helped address seed shortages in several regions.
Special citation awards were also presented to the Apayao Seed Producers Multi-purpose Cooperative, Seed Producers Cooperative of Occidental Mindoro-District II, Bulacan Seed Growers Multi-purpose Cooperative, and the Tarlac Provincial Seed Growers Primary Multipurpose Cooperative for their valuable contributions.
In the Visayas, the Southern Leyte Seed Growers Association, Inc. bagged the special citation award for its reliable seed deliveries across five municipalities.
And lastly in Mindanao, the Davao Oriental Seed Producers Cooperative received a special citation for producing over 23,000 additional seed bags, which significantly supported seed supply demands in Regions 12 and 13.
Bordey also shared that PhilRice aims to distribute around 4.5 million bags of certified inbred seeds under the RCEF Seed Program for the 2025 wet to 2026 dry cropping seasons.
PhilRice continues to encourage seed growers to intensify their efforts and ensure the consistent delivery of high-quality seeds. (CLJD/CNG, PIA 3-Nueva Ecija)
