PhilRice gets P91-million budget for 2011

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) is getting a P91-million budget for next year, a drastic cut from its current allocation of P435 million.

This was revealed yesterday during the Senate committee on finance hearing on the Department of Agriculture’s proposed 2011 budget.

The PhilRice’s drastic budget cut prompted Sen. Edgardo Angara to question the DA’s goal of achieving rice self-sufficiency in just three years.

Angara described the three-year self-sufficiency target of the DA as “ambitious” but was surprised why the DA has chosen to reduce PhilRice’s budget to P91 million from its current allocation of P435 milion.

Angara pointed out that PhilRice is supposed to be included in the DA’s self-sufficiency strategy.

Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala defended the decision to cut PhilRice’s budget next year, saying the attached agency had strayed from its mandate of research and development (R&D).

Alcala even criticized PhilRice for “executing projects.”

Alcala has consolidated the former Ginintuang Masaganang Ani (GMA) Rice program headed by Dr. Frisco Malabanan, into a Corn and Rice Program headed by Assistant Secretary Dennis Araullo who used to be the former GMA corn program national coordinator.

The success of the then GMA rice program was anchored on its hybrid rice program.

Dr. Malabanan has returned to PhilRice.

Noting that the DA’s budget has been cut, Sen. Angara suggested the abolition, merger or fusion of some DA attached agencies which no longer serve their purpose.

Among the agencies he proposed for abolition, merger or fusion with other DA agencies were the Fiber Industry Development Authority, the National Dairy Administration, the Cotton Development Authority and even the National Tobacco Administration.