The Philippines
June 4, 2026
Local government units (LGUs) that posted the highest performance in delivering certified seeds to farmers under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) Seed Program were recognized during the recent National Assembly of City and Municipal Agriculture Offices.
Forty-seven city and municipal LGUs and eight provincial LGUs received excellence awards for their performance during the 2025 wet season and 2026 dry season program implementation.
The awardees included provincial LGUs from Oriental and Occidental Mindoro, Sultan Kudarat, Antique, Bohol, Zamboanga Sibugay, and Surigao del Norte. City and municipal awardees included Lamut, Ifugao; Barbaza, Antique; Labangan, Zamboanga del Sur, among other top performers.
The awardees qualified based on their performance across key RCEF Seed Program indicators, including seed distribution, data syncing, records management, participatory governance, and resource mobilization.
LGUs were grouped into small-, medium-, and large-scale categories based on their seed allocation.
The awarding ceremony was one of the highlights of the two-day assembly, which gathered local agriculture officials nationwide to discuss updates and concerns related to rice sector programs and services.
Discussions covered the RCEF Seed and Mechanization Programs, the National Rice Program’s Hybrid Seed and Fertilizer Component, the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA), the Farmers and Fisherfolk Organizations Registry Information System (FFORIS), and rice clustering and consolidation initiatives.
The assembly also served as a venue for strengthening coordination between local agriculture offices and implementing agencies as they work toward the goals of the Department of Agriculture’s MASAGANA (MAtatag, SAma-sama, GAnado, NApapanahon) Rice Industry Development Program.
“The time you spent with us focusing on our discussions will not only strengthen our coordination but also ensure that expectations on the ground are aligned, especially with the threat of El Niño. With everyone working together, we can achieve another successful season,” said Dr. John C. de Leon, Philippine Rice Research Institute executive director.
De Leon also stressed the importance of farmers maintaining their commitment to planting rice, despite the challenges they face.
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