Threats of Rice Shortage

[pioneer]

The threats of a rice shortage in the country should be a motivation for farmers.

Bohol Vice Gov. Julius Caesar Herrera said that while he personally believes that the threat is still premature, it should be reason enough for the people to take it seriously.

“There is still no cause for alarm but this does not mean we will not give it serious concern,” Herrera said.

The vice-governor noted that there have been conflicting signals from government agencies and non-government institutions on the real status of the country’s supply of rice.

In recent days, the Department of Agriculture (DA) issued a statement assuring that the country’s rice supply is sufficient.

The statement came in the wake of fears that there is a looming rice shortage in the country.

Herrera said personally he feels the fears of a rice shortage are premature saying it has not gone down to alarming levels.

The vice-governor however stressed that this should be enough motivation for the agriculture sector to increase production.

“This should be a wake-up,” he added.

Herrera said there is no need to debate on whether the shortage is real or not because that would be counter-productive.

- The Bohol Standard

[Brownman]

Just recently the Samahan ng Magsasaka challenged the DA to tell the
thruth regarding the rice shortage in the country, evidence for these
was the shortage of rice in the market kay guipangtagu-an man ang mga bugas
sa mga negosyante, mahal na kaajo ang bugas
run diri ang pinaka brato P28.00 kada kilo puro lang daw
pagwapings ang taga DA sa katawhan, apil sad sa Cebu pati mais
ganihit pud ang supply.

[Jang]

The philippine government knows the fact,the problem is they are making thier own pockets to get full before giving the people a cup of help.

[Brownman]

you'ved got the right answer Jang.

[kiamoy]

iya iyahay nalang ta dre..

[ms da binsi]

hala! mag import na sad ta ug bugas?

sus tagaan ra raba dajun ta ug barat nga bugas gikan sa gawas!

[Lorenzo]

We just don't have the land to produce enough rice for the mouths in our country. What the Philippines needs to do is secure lands that are rich in fertile soil and are ours historically.

You know what I'm talking about.

Sabah. It must be reclaimed. The natural resources and flat plains in that territory would spur immigration as well as reduce the burden of over population. Philippines needs breathing space.

[kiamoy]

ou ms da binsi mag import nata..from vietnam and thailan/taiwan (d ko sure)

d enzo.. we have it. Our rice lands / rice plants got destroyed by the storm  Milenyo.. and. unlike vietnam and taiwan.thailand, our government didn't invest much money for our rice farms. That is why lisud ang irrigation system. Sa Vietnam and T/T kase, they have better irrigation system.. mao ng mas productive sila..

[hazel]

And also because of Globalization. We need to export good quality rice to compete with other countries. That's why, mag shortage jud ta. And when we import, tagaan lang ta ug low quality.

[kiamoy]

 Cambodian PM bans rice exports to halt spiraling costs

Agence France-Presse

PHNOM PENH - Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen on Wednesday banned rice exports in a bid to halt the staple food's spiraling prices, which have reached highs of nearly one dollar a kilogram.

The move comes amid the steady climb in the price of most staple goods, including the doubling of the cost of cooking gas, which has put increasing strain on large numbers of Cambodians.

"Cambodia will halt the export of rice for two months," Hun Sen said.

"It is a temporary measure ... but it is to ensure food security," he added.

Rice prices have risen sharply from about 40 cents a kilogram as speculation of shortages grip local markets, sparking demands that the government put a cap on costs.

But Hun Sen said Tuesday that Cambodia is experiencing a rice surplus, and blamed the price hike on "economic sabotage" -- people spreading rumors of dwindling rice supplies in a bid to undermine the government.

Despite GDP growth averaging 11 percent over the past three years, more than a third of the country's 14 million people live on less than 50 cents a day, making even the slightest rise of food costs devastating to Cambodia's poorest.

Petrol remains at record highs on the back of global oil prices while inflation cracked the double digits late last year, hovering around 11 percent and further driving up food costs.

[kiamoy]

it's a worldwide rice shortage narin.. more because of green house effect..

[John]

the solution is very simple kung shortage nata sa bugas, dili nata mokaon pag -ayo ug bugas we will follow what the american people do, ( we will eat hamburger / sweet potatoes/ french fries etc.. ha ha ha ha.

[kiamoy]

I like your very simple suggestion. But not all Filipinos will agree to that,.

[Brownman]

the solution is very simple kung shortage nata sa bugas, dili nata mokaon pag -ayo ug bugas we will follow what the american people do, ( we will eat hamburger / sweet potatoes/ french fries etc.. ha ha ha ha.

mag one day wat eat nalang john para makadaguinut,

[bulak]

     Facing a looming rice shortage, the Philippines has come up with a novel way to conserve the staple cereal â€" eat less.
    Manila newspapers said the government has asked the country’s fast food outlets to offer half portions of rice.“I’m asking fast-food restaurants to give their customers an option to order half a cup of rice,” Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap was quoted as saying. “People don’t really finish their rice.” Fast-food restaurants such as Jollibee, McDonalds and KFC are popular among Filipino families, especially those on low incomes, and serve rice with most of their meals.

    The Philippines is struggling to source supplies of up to 1.8 million metric tons of rice this year amid tight global supply and surging prices. The Department of Agriculture has warned of a rice deficit of 2.1 million metric tons this year.
    Meanwhile, in anticipation of a rice deficit, the Philippines is spending an additional 36.12 million dollars on higher yielding rice varieties, officials said Wednesday.

    Yap said the threat faced by the country was “unprecedented (because) internationally, the rice supply is so thin,” making it harder for the country to import from abroad. The government was already preparing for the traditional lean months in rice production of June to September. “We are doing what we can to ensure we have no shortage and we have no shortage now,” he told reporters, saying the country still had a 57-day stock of rice.

    Yap said that Arroyo had allocated an additional 1.5 billion pesos to buy higher yielding rice seeds to be distributed during the country’s traditional rainy season that starts after June to increase production. Aside from this, the National Food Authority (NFA), which is in charge of importing rice, “will have to continue buying... to prepare for the possibility that in the lean months, we will have to rice to distribute,” said Yap.

    The NFA this week announced it had bought 335,500 tons of rice mainly from Vietnam, Thailand and Pakistan, to avoid any crisis in the coming months. Yap also cited the need for conservation of rice, saying that government studies found the country was wasting 25,000 sacks of rice everyday.

    This was why he requested restaurants to offer smaller portions of rice so they would not leave so much uneaten food, Yap said.
    He said the government had successfully increased rice production to a record 16.3 million tons in 2007 despite a prolonged drought and had been steadily been posting gains in output. Despite this, the price of rice had risen by two to three pesos per kilogram over the past year, Yap said.

    Rice is a politically-sensitive commodity in this archipelago and sharp increases in its price or shortages in supply have sparked popular unrest. The country has long been an importer of rice and not even increases in local production have been able to meet local demand. In 2007 Manila imported 1.871 million tons of rice, mostly from Vietnam with a little from Thailand and the government expects to import more than two million tons this year. â€" AFP

[Brownman]

mao na ni guidangat sa bugas karun sa pinas sis bulak
nangawagtang na kay guipanaguan sa mga kulukoy.

[bulak]

mao na ni guidangat sa bugas karun sa pinas sis bulak
nangawagtang na kay guipanaguan sa mga kulukoy.

But i think Brod Brown, ang kakulang sa bugas sa atong nasod tipik lang kine sa kinadak-ang suliran nga giatubang sa bagang katawhan.

Tuki-on unta sa atong panga gamhanan unsa gyod ang kina-uyukan niining maong suliran aron mapunting nila ang pinaka tukamang sulosyon niini..

Apan unsaon taman nga ang mga wala maapektuhi niining maong esyu magpakabuta-bungol man lang..

Alang sa  atong pangagamhanan hina-ut unta nga ilang pagatambalan ang maong hubag nga maoy nakaingon sa hilanat. Kay bisan unsa pa og tumar og biogesic ang hilanat dile gyod kine maalim kung dile nila unahon pagtambal ang hubag..

[Brownman]

maajo unta sis Bulak ug mabut-an na ning mga nagmando sa
atong nasud para muoswag sad ang katawhan, but i think the
problem of corruption in our country is getting bad to worst
that's why poor people became pauper and the rich becomes
the kings.

[bulak]

maajo unta sis Bulak ug mabut-an na ning mga nagmando sa
atong nasud para muoswag sad ang katawhan, but i think the
problem of corruption in our country is getting bad to worst
that's why poor people became pauper and the rich becomes
the kings.

Korek Brother Brown. Unsaon ulipon man kita niining maong dunot nga systema. Ang atong katawhang Pilipino dugay ra untang nangandoy og kalingkawasan apan unsaon taman nga igo raman kita sa pagpangandoy, niining maong systema bisan iapil pa og ugmad ang simod sa atong mga mag-uuma sa yuta wala gihapon ay asenso..

[Brownman]

maajo unta sis Bulak ug mabut-an na ning mga nagmando sa
atong nasud para muoswag sad ang katawhan, but i think the
problem of corruption in our country is getting bad to worst
that's why poor people became pauper and the rich becomes
the kings.

Korek Brother Brown. Unsaon ulipon man kita niining maong dunot nga systema. Ang atong katawhang Pilipino dugay ra untang nangandoy og kalingkawasan apan unsaon taman nga igo raman kita sa pagpangandoy, niining maong systema bisan iapil pa og ugmad ang simod sa atong mga mag-uuma sa yuta wala gihapon ay asenso..

he, he mo smile nalang ta sis bulak kay kita ray maalkansi ani
ingun sila gawasnun na kuno ang pinas piro guidiktahan guihapun
ni uncle sam hangtud karun.

[ms da binsi]

Bilib jud ko ni Brownman kay naa na shay AGAW LINDY...

karon naa na sad shay SIS BULAK!

this made TB unique jud!

[Brownman]

Bilib jud ko ni Brownman kay naa na shay AGAW LINDY...

karon naa na sad shay SIS BULAK!

this made TB unique jud!

he, he let's make friends daw Ms Bell not war.

[bulak]

Miss Belle, nice man gyod na kaayo si Brother Brown. I remember the first time we call each other sis/brod when i was so sick in Denmark unya mo PM jod siya nako moingon kumusta naka Sis Bulak.. Tiaw bay maningkamot intawn ko og online  sa TB bisan gakurog akong kamot sa kahilanat kay madasig man ko sa iya mga sulat.

Thanks Brother Brown for being kind..

Bitaw nice pod nga nag ka meet ta dire sa TB. Lahi ra sa nangameet nato nga friends on chat for example kay agu mga bastos ang uban og madugayan na og kasuod.

[Brownman]

aguroyyy! musamut man sab ta ug ka boutan
ani sis bulak, bitaw it's nice meeting all of you
here in tb.

[ms da binsi]

I like to hear that. So you guys know each other long before TB? Forget my question. It doesnt matter, waht really matters nga naa jud tay mga buotan nga kaigsoonan sa kahanginan...

Even me, my personal opinion, i really loved our peeps here. If i could only hug each one of you, i really would have.

[bulak]

I like to hear that. So you guys know each other long before TB? Forget my question. It doesnt matter, waht really matters nga naa jud tay mga buotan nga kaigsoonan sa kahanginan...

Even me, my personal opinion, i really loved our peeps here. If i could only hug each one of you, i really would have.

OMG, kahilakon nako gamay, sakto na Miss Belle!

Ok just save my first and foremost hug on our TB-EB..

[ms da binsi]

Ill consider it a rainsheck then, and ill expect that when i see you...so you owe me okay?

[bulak]

Ill consider it a rainsheck then, and ill expect that when i see you...so you owe me okay?

OMG! ok but  i will not promise, ill try to do my very best..

[B:)]

Filipinos can't live without rice, I don't think it will ever happen waking up in the morning and not eating rice.

I think this news is just a pure "threat".

[Happy]

Sus, hasta akong bana naalarma ganina pagkabasa niya sa news nga naa daw shortage of rice lagi.
Ingon dayon siya nga kinahanglan daw nga mopalit nami ug rice ron kay basin momhal na maayo.

Magpatatas nalang pud ta ani ug panpan.

[John]

In ttruth ang galisod kung walay bugas, ang gapuyo lang sa mga dagkong cities, pero ang na-a sa provinsya dili kaayo affected kay moka-on man na sila ug balanghoy / kamote, obe etc...  unya may mga kabasakan pod na sila bisan ug rain feeding but still survive.

[C2H4]

^sakto na ashton, mas lami pa man pud ang bugas mais kaysa humay

[John]

ha ha ha mais bugas unya parisan ug Kalderitas nga kanding, dugay kaayo ka gutomon ug balik.

[ms da binsi]

ha ha ha mais bugas unya parisan ug Kalderitas nga kanding, dugay kaayo ka gutomon ug balik.

Ash kalami anang imong gi jama jama dear!

[John]

yap when I was in Mactan Cebu uhmm yummy my suki ko nga Restaurant lami-a molotu ug Kalderitas oi unya mais ang kan-on.

[bulak]

mais-mais nalang ta ron kay wala namay humay.lol.

[hazel]

kalami anang mais paresan utan nga bisaya.

[orChids]

aguy ang mais puston ug dahon sa saging unya ginamos ang topping. sus yummy

[Macky Ferniz]

We just don't have the land to produce enough rice for the mouths in our country. What the Philippines needs to do is secure lands that are rich in fertile soil and are ours historically.

You know what I'm talking about.

Sabah. It must be reclaimed. The natural resources and flat plains in that territory would spur immigration as well as reduce the burden of over population. Philippines needs breathing space.

You did the right thinking Lorenzo.

In terms of resources and wealth, Sabah represents 20%. Re-acquiring Sabah means our economy will grow effortlessly by 20%. The greatest growth we could achieve in 30 years of economic history.

It is time to tell our government heads "don't be a chicken" go to the UN and claim what is ours, we are not paying you just to sit and drink coffee.

Regarding rice shortage: Law of supply and demand has been proven. He who controls the rice, will surely get millions. Like the ancient Srivijayan saying "He who controls the spice, controls the universe".

[bulak]

But based on Philippine geographical survey, we got enough land to cultivate,  as Phils. is consist of  a total land area of 115,000 square miles.If only the natural wealth of the Philippines were to be tapped and developed by the Filipino people themselves for their own benefit,Im sure that there would be no rice shortage, we can have more than enough to sustain a population that is several times bigger than the present one. However, the domestic feudalism prevent the Filipino people from making use of their natural resources to their own advantage .

[kiamoy]

update:  Arroyo conducts surprise inspection of rice warehouse

Irked by failure to account for stocks
By Lira Dalangin-Fernandez
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 17:39:00 04/03/2008

MANILA, Philippines -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Thursday emerged visibly irked from a rice warehouse whose personnel failed to account for the stocks stored there.

Arroyo led a surprise inspection of the warehouse of the Isabela Greenfield Corp. at the corner of Figueroa and Perdigon Streets in Paco, Manila with Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap, National Bureau of Investigation head Nestor Mantaring, and National Food Authority (NFA) officials as part of stepped-up efforts to curb hoarding and ensure the rice supply in the country is stable.

During the inspection, Arroyo also instructed state universities and colleges to make their gyms available for use as rice warehouses, and the Armed Forces of the Philippines to free up some military trucks for delivery of the staple cereal to far-flung provinces.

Arroyo was piqued when she found out that the warehouse has no record book to account for the 7,733 sacks of rice there. The delivery receipt showed to her reflected the delivery only of 1,300 sacks, according to lawyer Halil Lucman of the NFA’s bureau regulatory division.

"The requirement is it [record book] has to be in the warehouse, that's a violation [if they have] no record book," Arroyo said. "Ang naka-record rito na transaction [The transactions recorded here] is much less than what is really here…It is hoarded rice because it is not recorded."

However, she clarified that what happened was not a raid, but a mere inspection to check if warehouses have been declaring their stockpiles of rice and observe how the NFA personnel are conducting inspections.

[kiamoy]

Record-high rice harvest seen in 2009

P5-B subsidy deemed crucial to food security
By Amy R. Remo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 02:13:00 04/04/2008

MANILA, Philippinesâ€"The Department of Agriculture expects a record-high rough rice yield of 8.5 million metric tons in the dry season harvest of 2009 with the help of a P5-billion subsidy recently granted by the national government, Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap said.

That will be a big leap from the 7.0-7.2 million metric tons estimated for this year's dry season, Yap said in an interview.

The dry season runs from November to April.

Yap said plans had yet to be finalized but part of the P5-billion government subsidy would be used to rehabilitate irrigated lands.

For this year, the Department of Agriculture has allotted at least P8 billion for construction, repair and rehabilitation of irrigation facilities serving 60,000 hectares of arable land. Over the next three years, it expects to irrigation facilities to cover a total of 300,000 hectares of land.

Increased spending on irrigation in key rice producing areas is crucial to the government's plan to attain rice self-sufficiency by 2010.

So far, the country has 1.413 million hectares of irrigated lands.

Yap added that the department would also use part of the subsidy to boost distribution of seeds or to intensify seed support and other necessary planting materials.

"There is a need to pump in funds now and prepare for the 2009 dry planting season," he said. "For instance, we need to ensure that there will be enough hybrid and certified seeds by April or May in preparation for the November planting."

He added, however, that agricultural officials were still discussing the amount to be allocated for each program.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo this week announced that she would issue an executive order authorizing the grant of P5 billionâ€"five percent of last year's budget surplus of P100 billionâ€"to subsidize farmers and ensure steady supply of rice.

For the year, the agriculture department expects rough rice production to reach 17.3 million metric tons, from last year's production of 16.24 million

[insurectus]

oatmeal na lang good for the heart pa

[Brownman]

Just watched the food summet which was presided by GMA at
Clark, mugasto kunu ug dako ang gobyerno para mawala ang food
crises.

[orChids]

Dafat lang mugasto jod sila oy,kay kanang ilang igasto kwarta ra man pod sa Pinas,dili man ilaha.Sus,isinggit pa jod diay nila no? hehehe

[Brownman]

Dafat lang mugasto jod sila oy,kay kanang ilang igasto kwarta ra man pod sa Pinas,dili man ilaha.Sus,isinggit pa jod diay nila no? hehehe

karon ang pikabrato nga bugas sa maynila tag 32 pisos ang
kilo ug dili molihok si GMA daghan napud ang kutasan ug musamut
mutaas ang crime sa syudad kay gutom man ang bitok.

[bulak]

sos maryusip Brother Brown, tiaw bay 32 ang kinabaratuhan, unya ang usa ka kilo usa ra ka kan anan. unya 3x a day raba ta mangaon og kan-on, pastilan unsaon nalang ni.

[orChids]

Bitaw kuno,sus grabiha na man jod ni oy.Di na matabang ang krisis.Kung naay bugas pod gikan sa laing nasod,atagoan man pod.Samot kadatu ang mga datu ini,samot pod ka pordoy ang mga pobre.

[Brownman]

Grabe bitaw mga sisters karun diri sa Maynila kay ako may tig palit ug bugas
sus gasigig panggimo ang mga tawo, si GMA daw ang hinungdan sa tanan.

[orChids]

Samot na ang gulay diha Brown?Nganong wala pa man tagai ug pagtagad ni GMA ni nga kadakung problema ani?

[bulak]

Grabe bitaw mga sisters karun diri sa Maynila kay ako may tig palit ug bugas
sus gasigig panggimo ang mga tawo, si GMA daw ang hinungdan sa tanan.

of course, this issue should be address to our beloved President, i hope our government must listen to the woes and pains of our sovereign Filipino people.

[Brownman]

ganiha nitan aw ko sa ANC nag food summet man to sila mga opisyales ni GMA
ila kunung sulbarun ning crisis sa bugas karun, pati kuno upland farming
ilang gastusan, bawo ug tinuud pud lagi.

[orChids]

Let's cross our fingers for that Brown,maayo jod kung tinud-on nila na ASAP.Kay kung dugay na masulbad,mangita baya ug paagi ang tawo nga makakaon ug katulo sa usa kaadlaw,so diha na manggawas ang krimen.

[Brownman]

Grabe bitaw mga sisters karun diri sa Maynila kay ako may tig palit ug bugas
sus gasigig panggimo ang mga tawo, si GMA daw ang hinungdan sa tanan.

of course, this issue should be address to our beloved President, i hope our government must listen to the woes and pains of our sovereign Filipino people.

do hope this will be their priority at present to resolved the food shortage in the country
not just for pa pogi ra sila sis bulak.

[kiamoy]

sanglit moron nalang ako gkaun run.. gkan tacloban..yihhiiyy

[hazel]

sanglit moron nalang ako gkaun run.. gkan tacloban..yihhiiyy

bem, balik nata sa lugaw.

[John]

actually walay ma patay sa gutom basta molihok lang. daghanonn nalang inom ug tubig kay galisod ug bugas ha ha ha.

[hazel]

mag tanon ug lagutmon gud. sama sa bulanghoy, gabi ug kamote.

[Macky Ferniz]

Our biggest threat is China. Since, they are turning farmlands into industrial zones, ultimately, they will rely rice from foreign sources like the Philippines. Of course our business sector would favor selling thier rice to China who will offer higher price. So, it leaves our locals with no rice to buy.

There should be an organization for Rice Exporting countries to address this matter, regulate and establish world price and protect their interests. Like OPEC for oil exporting countries.

[Brownman]

actually walay ma patay sa gutom basta molihok lang. daghanonn nalang inom ug tubig kay galisod ug bugas ha ha ha.

makakatawa man sad ta ani ni John oi, he, he

[orChids]

mag tanon ug lagutmon gud. sama sa bulanghoy, gabi ug kamote.

Sa probinsya mahimo na,pero kaning tua sa layo like naa sila sa Manila di wala man silay matamnan tawon. Lisura baya oy.

[orChids]

Our biggest threat is China. Since, they are turning farmlands into industrial zones, ultimately, they will rely rice from foreign sources like the Philippines. Of course our business sector would favor selling thier rice to China who will offer higher price. So, it leaves our locals with no rice to buy.

There should be an organization for Rice Exporting countries to address this matter, regulate and establish world price and protect their interests. Like OPEC for oil exporting countries.

That's one thing nga nakadaut jod.

[Macky Ferniz]

Dear Aya San,

Nakita kano sa usa ka documentary sa Japan nga resourceful jud ang mga hapon (believe jud ko) kay bisan bisan sa city, ilang gi utilized ang gamay nga lugar pare tamnan ug rice. Ang ilang mga cemented pavements ilang gi butangan ug composted materials gikan sa ilang waste sa kosina unya gi tamnan nila ug rice.

[kiamoy]

updatE:

PhilRice: Alternative rice varieties now available

There may no longer be a need to import rice if only Filipinos will look into the use of alternative rice varieties achieved through biotechnology that are available in the market, an expert from the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) said.

Alternative rice varieties NSIC Rc142 (Tubigan 7) and NSIC Rc154 (Tubigan 11) have been available in the market as early as 1995.

The cost, said Dr. Dindo Tabanao, is just the same as any ordinary rice.

Tubigan 7 and Tubigan 11 were products of a mid-level biotechnology technique called marker-aided selection (MAS).

These alternative rice varieties are bacterial leaf blight resistant (BLB) -- a disease that is endemic in provinces with irrigated lowlands such as Ilocos Norte, Cagayan, Ifugao, Isabela, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac and Bulacan.

Tubigan 7 and Tubigan 11 are just two of the rice varieties produced by biotechnology that has helped increased farmer's production- thus answering the country's problem of low productivity in recent years.

Tubigan 7 can yield at least 24 percent more than the common rice variety during the dry season and up to 32 percent more during the wet season.

Through the use of DNA markers, plant breeders are able to easily identify the offspring that are BLB resistant.

Safe for humans

Scientists have already assured that these alternative rice varieties are safe for human consumption. Studies have shown that Tubigan rice varieties have good qualities, as it is moist and sticky when cooked.

Government officials admit while largely an agricultural country, the Philippines is unable to meet its own rice needs in light of the demands of the growing population simply because it does not have sufficient land to till.

Agricultural lands devoted to rice production in Thailand and Vietnam, the country's major source of rice imports are double than that of the land devoted to rice production here. In 2004 for example, the Philippines only harvested from 4.12 million hectares of land, whereas in Vietnam, 9.82 million hectares of land grew rice.

The only way for the country to meet the demand, said PhilRice director Leocadio Sebastian, is to increase productivity.

Biotechnology has been addressing this problem with the introduction of alternative rice varieties resistant to rice diseases that have commonly caused the low farmers productivity.

Tungro-disease (RTD) and bacterial leaf blight resistant (BLB) rice varieties are being developed to lessen yield losses in the coming years. At present, two BLB rice varieties, Tubigan 7 and Tubigan 11 are already commercially available.

While initial studies done by PhilRice have shown that it will be more costly for farmers to produce healthier crops through biotechnology, the benefits outweigh the costs consequently as the farmer's gross income is increased by at least 26 percent.  Biolife News Service

[Macky Ferniz]

Nakapalit mi ug yuta sa Esperanza Agugan del Sur. Gi tamna dayon sa mong igsoon ug corn. Excited pod mi kay mag sugba-sugba kuno dayon mi ug mais inig uli namo.

Pero mi ingon among igsoon nga dili man kuno ma kaon kana nga variety "dili safe for human consumption" kay genetically engineered. Maka cause kuno ug diabetis. Contract grower diay sila ug feeds sa manok ug baka. For animal feeds ra diay to ila gi tanom.

[kiamoy]

Sa ako officemate dapit tag P24..karun tag P33 na ang bugas..
Naay schedule if what time pwede maka buy
then dili puydi dinaghan.. usa ra ka cellophane or a certain amount ra for every  buyer..

[Happy]

Grabe bitaw mga sisters karun diri sa Maynila kay ako may tig palit ug bugas
sus gasigig panggimo ang mga tawo, si GMA daw ang hinungdan sa tanan.

Oi, dili pud ko agree ani oi.
Nganong ihan-ok man sa usa ka tawo ang tanan?

[Macky Ferniz]

The last solution is national campaign to "Boycott Rice". Next day, you will find it at half the price.

[Guy Matabao]

It is true...Genetically Modified food products are not safe for human consumption, European Standards of Food and Safety. European Union bond the importing of rice from the USA because they found US rice has traces of GM, they recommend member nations to import rice from Asia. That contributes the rice shortage.

[Guy Matabao]

Grabe bitaw mga sisters karun diri sa Maynila kay ako may tig palit ug bugas
sus gasigig panggimo ang mga tawo, si GMA daw ang hinungdan sa tanan.

Oi, dili pud ko agree ani oi.
Nganong ihan-ok man sa usa ka tawo ang tanan?

Tama ka...sama ako diyan.............

[Raquelproud boholana]

Part of the problem why theres rice shortage in Philippines because rice farmers can't afford to buy seedlings,fertilizer and can't even afford the labor cost.Government subsidy ,thats what these farmers need.Give them the fertilizer they need and I am sure they produce the rice.We are farmer here in U.S corn and soybeans producer and I tell you what fertilizer price like the gas price went up.Unsa may mahimo nato kung segi nalang ta import ug bugas sa Pilipinas mosamot  ka ot ot atong nasud.Dapat i prioritize sa goberno ang rice production sa Pilipinas.I think Philippines will import rice here U.S. shocking di ba.Daghan jud nuon rice diri sa U.S it mostly grow in southern part of the country like some part of missouri and Arkansa.I doubt that even mais bugas sa atua ingmahal sad kay record high price ang tanan commodity karon.

[Raquelproud boholana]

It is true...Genetically Modified food products are not safe for human consumption, European Standards of Food and Safety. European Union bond the importing of rice from the USA because they found US rice has traces of GM, they recommend member nations to import rice from Asia. That contributes the rice shortage.

We grow GMO(genetically modified organism) corn and soybeans and yes dili ni pwede sa human consumption.Feeds ra ni sa cattle and pigs and also for ethanol production.For U.S rice farmer all they could care about is the yield and quantity of rice they grow.Magtanum ka GMO kabalo na ka daan sa imo abot bisan mao pay pagtanum nimo.Basta naa lang exact amount of rain klaro na imo kita aw dili na diay magkinahanglan ug rain ang rice farmer diri  kay ila rice paddies high tech man sad kung magtanum na sila ila ra i flood ang paddies then kung harvest na ila i drain ang water.Most of our corn we grow even resist drought.

[Guy Matabao]

Nice knowing you lady...thats a good information. High-Tech farming contributes to high prices and low quality of food. Farm products from the Philippines are results/or made by traditional farming method, which has high quality and considered as organic foods. In the western market this type of foods are very expensive. In EU organic food cost approximately double the cost of non-organic. It is good in the Philippines, people don't recognize that...organic/non-organic doesn't matter it is almost the same price.

Bilang isang Filipino na lumaki sa probinsya, sigurado ako na lahat na aking kinaka-in noon ay organic. Kaya masaya ako at magarbo na lumaki sa bayang Filipinas. Mahirap man ako sa tingin ng mga banyaga, kasi nakatira lang sa payag pero kinaka-in ko naman ay ubod ng sarap at sustansya.

[enadespinosa]

Rice shortage is a shame to the government,and politician never tell the truth to the public,you will never see them queeing for NFA rice,it is the ordinary people who will suffer the consequences of the shortage and the high price,importation is not the long term solution of the crisis,govt should consider the growing population and the climate change thats the reason behind these crisis.instead they are thinking of how can they make profit out of this shortage..

[Brownman]

Rice crisis is now a global issue, in some of the world i thought it was in Egypt there was a food riot transfired, this might as well also happens in our country if the said problem will not be addressed by the Arroyo regime, mag pinatjanay jud na kadugajan, as what the expert says.

[bulak]

Part of the problem why theres rice shortage in Philippines because rice farmers can't afford to buy seedlings,fertilizer and can't even afford the labor cost.Government subsidy ,thats what these farmers need.Give them the fertilizer they need and I am sure they produce the rice.We are farmer here in U.S corn and soybeans producer and I tell you what fertilizer price like the gas price went up.Unsa may mahimo nato kung segi nalang ta import ug bugas sa Pilipinas mosamot  ka ot ot atong nasud.Dapat i prioritize sa goberno ang rice production sa Pilipinas.I think Philippines will import rice here U.S. shocking di ba.Daghan jud nuon rice diri sa U.S it mostly grow in southern part of the country like some part of missouri and Arkansa.I doubt that even mais bugas sa atua ingmahal sad kay record high price ang tanan commodity karon.

Yes you are right Miss Raquel, if only our government give enough budget to our farmers  and apply modern techniques to cultivate the land yet Philippines would not be affected on this rice shortage that the whole world face today,considering that we got very productive land and a tropical climate which is very favorable for our farmers to cultivate the land compare on  other countries. As we see that 75 % of our population are farmers, and if only our government never  pushed for the enactment of the General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs (GATT) and the entry of the Philippines to the World Trade Organization (WTO) yet  our  sovereign Filipino  people will not suffer this  long queues to buy cheaper rice in military-guarded outlets of the National Food Authority. The GATT/WTO have been used by imperialist countries to leverage semi-colonial and backward countries to remove state subsidies to agriculture and cause the conversion of agricultural lands to real estate speculation and production-for-export.Because of this programs,the  people are hungry and restless,  and millions are bound to explode in collective protest against the Arroyo regime.

[bulak]

Rice crisis is now a global issue, in some of the world i thought it was in Egypt there was a food riot transfired, this might as well also happens in our country if the said problem will not be addressed by the Arroyo regime, mag pinatjanay jud na kadugajan, as what the expert says.

Yes absolutely Brod Brown, its a world wide crisis,it resulted in food riots in Haiti, Bangladesh and other countries in the past weeks. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned a few days ago that war might break out in several places because of the worsening crisis in food supplies and rising prices.

[Brownman]

yup, that was very right sis Bulak, Food crisis now escalates throught out the globe, do hope it will be resolved sooner.

[B:)]

I can't imagine me without rice huhuhu