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Pimentel on Philrice’s existence: Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III asks the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) if it could show some conclusions regarding its rice-related research during its 37 years of existence. Pimentel, during the hybrid hearing of Finance Subcommittee B on the proposed 2023 budget of the Department of Agriculture and its attached agencies and corporations Tuesday, October 18, 2022, wanted to know if PhilRice had developed seeds that are suitable for the soil of a specific province or region. PhilRice Exec. Dir. John De Leon informed the committee that they have 18 varieties of rice seeds being distributed to farmers based on the quality of soil in the province. He said PhilRice is encouraging farmers to use the seeds because they have been proven to be high-yielding varieties. PhilRice is mandated to generate farming technologies to strengthen Philippine rice and rice-based agriculture. (Voltaire F. Domingo/Senate PRIB)