The Philippines and Korea marked a significant milestone in their agricultural cooperation today with the inauguration and turnover of a modern rice seed processing facility and a warehouse with cold storage at the Department of Agriculture Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice) Central Experiment Station (CES). The ceremony celebrated the successful completion of the facilities and reinforced the longstanding partnership between the two countries in supporting the Philippines’ rice industry and food security.
The program began with the unveiling of markers and ribbon-cutting ceremonies for the two new facilities, followed by congratulatory remarks from representatives of both countries celebrating the successful progress of the Korea–Philippines agricultural cooperation project. A formal signing ceremony officially transferred the facilities and equipment to the Philippine government. The event also featured a project briefing and video presentation led by Dr. Eduardo Jimmy P. Quilang, which highlighted the project’s achievements and outlined proposals for follow-up initiatives.
The newly inaugurated facilities include a modern rice seed processing facility with an integrated processing line and a warehouse with cold storage. Developed under the ongoing ODA project, “Improving the Rice Supply Chain to Ensure the Quality of Seeds and Milled Rice for Distribution and Buffer Stocks in the Philippines,” launched in 2023 through collaboration between the governments of Korea and the Philippines, the facilities are expected to enhance efficiency and quality throughout the rice supply chain.
Equipped with advanced processing equipment, the facilities enable faster and more efficient rice seed processing while significantly improving seed quality compared with traditional methods that relied heavily on manual labor and sun-drying. The upgrades reduce processing time, address challenges during the rainy harvest season, and, together with the cold-storage warehouse, extend seed preservation, allowing for more flexible, reliable, and quality-assured distribution nationwide.
This four‑year project (2023–2026) represents a total investment of US $4.5 million and aims to strengthen the Philippines’ rice‑seed production and distribution capability. To date, it has established a rice‑seed processing facility and three cold‑storage warehouses at DA-PhilRice CES, Isabela, and Batac, and supplied key agricultural and logistics equipment including forklifts and upgraded information system hardware. The project has also implemented capacity‑building activities such as technical training for equipment operations, consulting for information system development, and an invitational training program in Korea.
Through this ODA project, Korea and the Philippines strengthening the national rice supply chain by increasing the availability of high quality seeds, bolstering the Philippine rice industry and reinforcing national food security.
As the project enters its final year in 2026, both governments reaffirmed their shared commitment to achieving sustainable agricultural growth and ensuring a stable and high-quality rice supply chain in the Philippines.
