MUÑOZ, Nueva Ecija-The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) wants to collect and conserve 21,000 rice varieties in its gene bank by yearend.
Malvin Duldulao, PhilRice Science Research Specialist I, said the agency’s Genebank currently houses 20,743 rice varieties, including some 7,000 traditional varieties from the Philippines.
These cover 82 provinces across the country, with Palawan leading as having the most diverse collection, followed by Ifugao.
He said PhilRice is hoping to conserve 21,000 rice varieties by December through donations and collecting missions conducted by the agency.
This, after Duldulao noted that PhilRice’s national repository of rice genetic resources proves crucial at a time when the country faces threats posed by climate-related shocks along with pests and diseases.
‘If there is no gene bank, there will be no breeding since this is where the material for breeding comes from […] these are the ones we cross to create a new variety,’ Duldulao told reporters in a chance interview here.
‘The [gene bank] would support the continuous breeding in the Philippines […] so we can breed a variety that can adapt to the changing weather, with higher yield and better quality. That’s one key to achieving rice security,’ he added.
He also explained that Filipinos can withdraw seeds from the agency’s gene bank through its online platform, which they will deliver for free.
Earlier this year, PhilRice urged farmers to plant early-maturing and drought-tolerant rice varieties in preparation for El Niño, forecast to peak in the fourth quarter of 2026.
The agency said these varieties would help planters better manage limited water resources and minimize risks to their crops during prolonged dry spells.
Last May, PhilRice’s climate-smart maps showed that of the 1.58 million hectares of rice areas in Luzon, some 301,000 hectares are ‘highly susceptible’ to drought while another 280,000 hectares are ‘moderately vulnerable.’
In Mindanao, the agency flagged that about 150,000 hectares are considered ‘highly susceptible,’ while more than 205,000 hectares in the Visayas face similar risks.
Over the past 40 years, PhilRice has developed 121 varieties as part of its efforts to create high-yielding, quality, and climate-resilient rice.