Sixth grade students from the Raya School Fairview pledged to be “RICEponsible” or to consume rice responsibly during the 20th Ceremonial Rice Harvesting at Rizal Park on November 11, 2022.

The event, which was hosted by the Department of Agriculture (DA)-Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) and National Rice Program, is part of the 2022 National Rice Awareness Month (NRAM) celebration to raise rice awareness, promote better health, and support local farmers, among others.

The students and their teachers/guardians committed to follow NRAM’s “A-Ba-Ka-Da” campaign. A-Ba-Ka-Da stands for “Adlay, mais, saba, atbp. ay ihalo sa kanin,” “Brown rice ay kainin,” “Kanin ay huwag ay sayangin,” at “Dapat bigas ng Pilipinas ang bilhin.”

During the event, the students witnessed how to harvest rice, visited the PhilRice mobile museum, toured the urban garden of the DA-Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), and experienced planting vegetable seeds.

DA Senior Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban, PhilRice Los Baños Director Rhemilyn Relado-Sevilla, PhilRice Nueva Ecija Deputy Director Abner Montecalvo, PhilRice Chief Science Research Specialist Marissa Romero, and National Parks Development Committee (NPDC) Operations Division Chief Rosalina Tenepere also delivered inspirational messages for the children.

The 300-square meter Rice Garden at the Rizal Park was established in 2002 to showcase and promote various rice production technologies for traditional, hybrid, and high-yield inbred varieties.

It also serves as a learning site for Metro Manila residents and visitors.

Learn more about the Be RICEponsible campaign at www.facebook.com/RICEponsableAKO. ### (Gumamela Celes Bejarin, DA-AFID)