IRRI hosts get-together with barangay captains of Bay and Los Baños

IRRI DG Bob Zeigler (center) speaks with local barangay captains,
in a meeting arranged by DDG for Communications
and Partnerships V. Bruce J. Tolentino (standing, left).

IRRI invited barangay captains and local government officers of the municipalities of Bay and Los Baños over for merienda cena on 20 September 2012 to further strengthen relations with these local communities that host the IRRI headquarters.
V. Bruce J. Tolentino, deputy director general for communications and partnerships, briefed the guests on IRRI's research agenda and declared IRRI's continued support to these communities through various partnerships and emergency assistance.

Robert Zeigler, IRRI director general, thanked the local leaders for supporting IRRI as an international organization working for global rice sufficiency, and for helping make Los Baños and Bay peaceful and happy communities for IRRI employees and their families to live in.

Lorilyn Manrique and Olivo Esquivel, local government officers of Bay and Los Baños, respectively, expressed appreciation for IRRI's commitment and support to local governance.

The presidents of the Association of Barangay Captains, Hon. Arthur Panopio (Bay) and Hon. Gaudencio Macatangay (Los Baños), likewise acknowledged IRRI's livelihood and training programs and community projects as having contributed to community transformation.


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Philippines: IRRI takes part in Congress hearing on NM Rice commendation

The Committee on Information and Communications Technology of the Philippine House of Representatives has invited IRRI to share its views and recommendations regarding House Resolution 905, commending SMART Communications and Globe Telecoms in partnering with the Department of Agriculture and IRRI in the implementation of the NM Rice Mobile Project.

Bruce Tolentino, deputy director general for communications and partnerships, and Marco van den Berg, chief information officer, attended the committee hearing. HR 905 was authored by Angelo Palmones, AGHAM Party List representative.

The hearing also became an opportunity for Dr. Tolentino and Mr. van den Berg to inform committee members, composed of 51 congressmen, not only more about the NM Rice Project but about IRRI's other partnerships with the Philippine Government, especially with the Department of Agriculture.

Upon hearing these elaborations, Rep. Palmones amended the resolution to commend IRRI directly. He also called on SMART, the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT), and Sun Cellular to work on enabling NM Rice Mobile on their systems at the soonest possible time. At the moment, NM is operational only on the Globe network. 

Dr. Tolentino also met with Rep. Palmones for further briefing, and will follow up on collaborations between IRRI and AGHAM Party List.


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World Agroforestry Center holds feeding program for flood victims

Staff and scholars of the World Agroforestry Center (also know an ICRAF), an IRRI-hosted center, held a feeding program to more than 1,000 evacuees at the Tadlac Tent City in Los Baños on 7 September 2012.

Rosemary Caballero led the activity, representing Rodel Lasco, Philippine programme coordinator. They were joined by volunteers and IRRI spouses Sue Pretty and Stella Bouman, and guests.

Floodwaters have receded to waist level in the communities along Laguna Lake, and the residents of Barangay Tadlac are staying in the 'tent cities' because their homes remain unsafe and there is prospect of more rainfall. Tadlac was hardest hit by the flooding caused by Typhoon Gener and the Habagat rains in July.

Close to 10,000 residents are still in various tent cities and evacuation centers in Los Baños and Bay as floodwaters are expected to take about 3 more months to recede in the lakeshore areas. 


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IRRI staff donate to flood victims

IRRI's Host Country and Community Relations Office has turned over donations from IRRI employees to the Municipal Disaster and Risk Reduction Coordinating Councils of the towns of Los Baños and Bay and continues to coordinate relief assistance and feeding programs from volunteer organizations.

Donated items include rice, canned foods, hygiene articles, bottled water, blankets, towels, and clothes and will be distributed to those affected by recent flooding on the shores of Laguna Lake. Cash donations were used to buy more rice for distribution to the flood victims.

The HCCRO team thanks all donors and those who volunteered to help during the feeding programs.


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IRRI partners with Red Cross and Rotary Club for the bloodletting activity

IRRI's Human Resource Services (HRS) held a bloodletting activity in partnership with Philippine Red Cross and Rotary Club of West Bay on 31 August 2012 at the IRRI Safety Training Office.

The activity was a response to the alarming rise of reported dengue cases in recent months and aims to provide an adequate and safe supply of blood to help save lives during emergencies. HRS collected 107 bags of blood.

From among 138 participants, 107 donors were successfully registered in the voluntary blood donation program. Participation was open to all IRRI staff and dependents. 


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