An Institution Speaks! “Let’s Grow Our Own Rice, No Matter the Cost” – Dr. Obien

By Dr. Santiago R. Obien

Former Exec. Director, PhilRice

Nat. Technical Adviser on Rice

I have always held on to the position that the Philippines must produce enough rice for all and keep a reserve for at least 6 months supply.

Our Target: No reliance on imports for the staple food!

We have the technology to do it. What is needed is decisiveness on the part of government to invest in irrigation, high-yielding seeds and fertilization.

We produce rice as our food regardless of the cost. We do not produce rice to compete with others – we do not sell rice, we don’t compete in the world market.

Japan’s cost of rice production is 3-4 times ours but still they produce rice to meet their requirements. They don’t sell rice to other countries.

Let’s not bother ourselves too much that our cost of production is high provided we produce enough for ourselves.

Now if Vietnam and Thailand don’t sell to us – but we depend on them because their rice is cheaper – eh de na ulol tayo.

Forget about competition. We produce our rice regardless of the cost.

It will be more expensive to import when the price goes up again above $1000 per ton! And there is even limited supply.

Imagine the chaotic rallies of the poor and hungry when no grains are available in the market?

Remember the Kidapawan rice crisis? When hungry multitudes forcibly opened the NFA warehouse for rice?

Never again!

Happy Easter Sunday!

(Dr. Santiago R. Obien is the first Executive Director of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) and is recognized as an icon and institution in the rice industry. Even after retirement, he continued to work as consultant for the Department of Agriculture and served in that capacity when I was Secretary. Sadly, people who barely even know anything about rice and do not understand its importance to the Filipino people have ignored his advices and even ridiculed this wise old man. I am sharing here, through the help of former Acting PhilRice Executive Director Sailila Abdula, the first Muslim PhilRice ED, (shown here in photo with Dr. Obien) his thoughts on the country’s rice program. He first shared his thoughts on the current rice supply issue in a text message to Dr. Ted Mendoza of UPLB. Through Dr. Abdula, I asked Dr. Obien if I could do some editing on his message and post it as an article in my Facebook page. With the current threat of constricting world rice supply, I hope people will listen to this old man who spent his life for the country’s rice industry. Sec. Manny Piñol, Chairman, Mindanao Development Authority)