The Philippine Rubber Research Institute (PRRI) will establish research and development buildings, experimental station and propagation nursery in a seven-hectare lot within Integrated Zamboanga Sibugay Research and Extension Services (IZRES) in Region IX.
This followed the signing of a memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the Department of Agriculture and the PRRI on June 13, 2024.
The soon-to-rise facilities in Zamboanga Sibugay—which gained reputation as the “Rubber Capital of the Philippines” for its 80,000-hectare rubber production—will serve as important facets of the DA-PRRI’s research, development and extension functions and the implementation of its initiatives for the Philippine rubber industry.
“Through collaborative efforts, as attested by the execution of this landmark agreement, we shall attain the goal of Masaganang Bagong Pilipinas. With this endowment, PRRI stands poised to establish a sanctuary of development for rubber growers, ensuring that no one is left behind,” DA-PRRI executive director Cheryl Eusala said.
The DA-PRRI was created by Republic Act No. 10089 mainly to propagate and promote Philippine rubber trees to produce latex and raw materials, capacitate local rubber farmers and processors for increased productivity and profitability and kick-start research and development (R&D) projects on rubber, among others.
The agency has been addressing the threats posed by the occurrence of rubber tree pests and diseases, ensuring the steady increase in rubber prices and encouraging more Filipinos to engage in rubber farming and processing through the provision of technical support and the promotion of modern technologies and facilities for a more efficient rubber production in the country.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. acknowledged the DA-PRRI as a vital institution in the advancement of the Philippine rubber industry and in supporting the livelihood of over 700,000 rubber growers in the country.
“The Department of Agriculture pledges to continue to collaborate to bring forth a robust rubber industry. We renew our commitment to ensure the delivery of accurate, efficient, and effective public service in the agriculture industry,” he said.