Rice as the main course - International Rice Research Institute

One heart, one spirit, one family
MARCH 2 0 0 2
what’s inside
2 Dory Resurreccion’s PhD
3 Emergencies test NEST
5 DG optimistic at IFSA assembly
8 AFSTRI Cultural Night photos
Published by the International Rice Research Institute sandiwa@irri.cgiar.org www.irri.org/vis/sandiwa/sandiwa.htm
Rice as the main course
by Kathy Lopez
I
grew up here in Los Baños, a university and agricultural town, where the fields are green, the sky is blue, Laguna de Bay
shimmers on sunny days, and the mountain we call Maria reclines in waiting splendor. I remember growing up amid the
sights and sounds of the country—whispering fields and swaying coconut trees, chirping birds and crowing roosters—and the
aroma of the earth. Living in a bucolic town, I took my summer vacation in the city, where my parents work. Rice paddies lay on both
sides of the national highway to Manila. As we sped by, the farmers appeared as tiny moving dots on the undulating green horizon.
Rice. I never really appreciated
that glorious white grain until I
was jolted into the reality of what
it takes to produce even a spoonful
of it. It was something I took for
granted—for lunch, dinner, and
sometimes breakfast. For half the
world’s population, rice is the
essential food grain that they
cannot do without. I have been
lucky to be able to eat rice three
times a day.
Before joining IRRI, I worked in
other research organizations
devoted to forestry and vegetables.
Rice by comparison seemed plain,
or so I thought. How much can
there be to growing it? I found the
answer in January, when I took
IRRI’s Two-Week Rice Production Course.
There were 27 of us in all, half from IRRI or its liaison
offices. Aside from rice researchers and communication and
training specialists, the class included a handful of farmers,
millers and farm owners, an account executive, an employee
of a large crop protection company, a professor, and a
wealthy banker.
Kathy Lopez develops a working knowledge of her native soil during the Two-Week Rice Production Course.
On the first day, the Training Center’s course coordinators
Oggie Garcia and Roger Rosales gave us theoretical and
practical exams to determine benchmarks. Although I had
taken some agriculture courses in university, I knew little
about the rice plant or how it grows. After I learned my two
test scores (averaging 48%) two days later, I vowed to make
to page 10 . . .

Dr. Resurreccion (call her Dory)
earned her most recent degree under
the Ronpaku Program of the Japan
Society for the Promotion of Science in
Tohoku University, Japan. Dory is
overjoyed to finally have her PhD—and
relieved that the ordeal is over.
“I had to be away from my family for
three months every year, for five years!”
she says. “It was hard work, there were
no laboratory assistants to help me out,
unlike here in IRRI.”
Dory’s family must surely be happy,
too. “They’re proud of me, I think,”
she admits. “It’s nice to know that I
finished my PhD, despite the constant
kidding from my children that I couldn’t
do it.”
Dory is also very thankful to IRRI
because the Professional Growth
Committee granted her the opportunity
to study. Getting a PhD at 53 is certainly
a feat. Most people would think it’s too
late to get a degree once they’re older
and have kids, but Dory thinks otherwise.
“The desire to continue studying and
learning does not decline with age,” she
explains. “Some middle-aged celebrities
even go back to high school. An article I
read about a woman who got her BS
degree when she was 80 years old
encouraged me. The only disadvantage
of studying when you’re over 50 is that
it gets harder to focus. My attention
span seems shorter, but we all can
overcome that, eventually. It just takes
patience.”
Long working hours and being away
from her family were the low moments
in Dory’s life as a student. “When I was
in Japan, I hated weekends because I
2
Resurreccion of dreams
by Boopy Yandoc
Adoracion Resurreccion struggled to excel in her undergraduate genetics course,
but the effort paid off. This month, the 53-year-old assistant scientist I in Plant
Breeding, Genetics and Biochemistry (PBGB), who has a BS in chemistry and an MS
in agricultural chemistry, will be awarded her PhD in applied biological chemistry.
missed my family,” she recalls. “But you
have to find a remedy for loneliness.
The last five years spent studying made
me stronger. The separation from my
family did more good than harm. My
role as mother and wife was reinforced,
and I was able to prioritize things better.
I was set on developing myself to
become a better person.”
Dory was also motivated by her
supervisor, John Bennett. “His dedication
to research and love for work
inspired me to pursue my PhD,” Dory
says. “He was the one who gave me the
research project, and he supported me
all the way.”
Dory also feels lucky because the
PhD research problem presented by Dr.
Bennett is the same problem she is
working on here at IRRI. “ It’s like
hitting two birds with one stone,” she
observes. “With just a single effort, I get
a degree, and I get to accomplish work
here at IRRI. It’s very fulfilling.”
Dory was a research assistant in the
Cereal Chemistry Division at IRRI from
1973 to 1980, and a research assistant in
the Department of Food Technology at
Iowa State University
from 1981 to
1987. In 1987, she
returned to IRRI
and has stayed
ever since, designing,
conducting
and interpreting
experiments, and
writing reports
related to sulfurmediatedprotection
of rice plants
from high-light
stress at the
chemical, biochemical,
and
molecular levels.
At home, she is
a devoted wife, a
mother to three
children aged 26,
22 and 14, and a
grandma to three
adorable tots. It’s
quite astonishing
that she can juggle
career, family and
studies all at once, but she quickly
reasons it out.
“Everything just happened at the right
time,” she explains. “I’m just fortunate
that my husband is in the academe
while I am in research. We have more
or less the same interests, so family time
is incorporated even if we’re talking
about work. My two kids have families
and jobs of their own now. At home, I
to page 13 . . .
Sandiwà March 2002

IRRI conducts NEST, medical consultations
Four actual emergency cases served as hands-on training for 28 participants in the
recent Neighborhood Emergency Services Team (NEST) training implemented by
IRRI under its various community projects in Laguna.
Barangay health workers from Tranca, Sta. Cruz, and Putho-Tuntungin take blood pressure readings.
A team from the Manila-based
Emergency Resource Center (ERC),
Philippine Association of Medical
Technologists (PAMET, Laguna Chapter),
with training support from the IRRI
Safety and Security Services and cooperation
from the local government units
of Bay and Los Baños, conducted the
NEST training in Barangay Malinta of
Los Baños, Laguna.
One of the emergency cases was a
nine-year-old, grade-three male pupil of
Malinta Elementary School who had
NEST team rescues fishermen in Laguna de Bay
Sandiwà March 2002
been sideswiped by a tricycle. Another
case was a 74-year-old man who
suffered abrasions and hematoma after
an emotionally disturbed person kicked
him. One involved a 20-year-old male
who was attacked by a group of men
with blunt weapons. The victim suffered
hematoma and loss of sensation in his
lower extremities before being taken to
the Jose Rizal Memorial Hospital in
Calamba for medical treatment.
The NEST team also performed a
successful emergency childbirth proce-
Valentine’s Day was a near disaster for five men whose motorboat capsized while they were
on their way to shore after fishing near an island called Pulo in the middle of Laguna de Bay.
Strong winds and big waves sank the boat of Dondon Cortez, Jet Sabandon, Jimmy Malihan,
Jacinto Malihan and an unidentified fisherman. Fortunately, another fisherman saw the
accident and called for help.
The Neighborhood Emergency Services Team (NEST) of Barangay San Antonio, Bay,
Laguna, together with other fishermen, responded to the call and successfully rescued the
five men by using plastic gallons as flotation devices. The rescued fishermen were immediately
reunited with their families without injuries.
The San Antonio NEST also gave emotional first aid, otherwise known as critical incident
stress debriefing and touch therapy, to the distressed wives and parents of the fishermen.
dure when a mother gave birth to an
eight-pound boy. They were given firstresponder
care and protection.
“These incidents made the participants
appreciate the community’s need
for the NEST program,” said IRRI
Information Services Manager Sylvia
Inciong. “Malinta Barangay Chairman
Nestor Lanceta and the 28 volunteers
expressed their gratitude to IRRI and
ERC for providing them with such
community-based emergency response
training,” added Community Projects
Officer Lito Platon.
The IRRI Community Projects
program, under IRRI Visitors and
Information Services, launched the NEST
program in Malinta on 5-9 December, in
cooperation with the office of Los Baños
Mayor Caesar Perez and barangay
officials. The second NEST training was
held on 23-27 January in barangays San
Antonio and Masaya in Bay, Laguna. It
covered training in first aid and responses
to fire, flood, earthquake, road, household
and health-related emergencies.
Medical clinics were also run by IRRI
at a cost of P186,942 in barangays
Putho-Tuntungin, Paciano Rizal, Masaya,
Tranca, Sta. Cruz and Puypuy, in
cooperation with PAMET, the Department
of Health, pharmaceutical companies,
and barangay health workers.
These benefited 351 patients who
were tested for blood sugar level, 77
patients tested for cholesterol and
triglyceride determination, 278
electrocardiogram patients, 403 patients
for medical consultations, and 154
patients for blood typing.
Medical technologist Aida dela Rea (right) of IRRI conducts a
blood typing test in Barangay Malinta.
3

4
Australian agriculture minister visits IRRI
IRRI welcomed the Australian minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, the
Hon. Warren Truss, to its research center in Los Baños on 3 February. Minister
Truss was in the Philippines to strengthen bilateral economic ties. The visit further
cemented Australia-IRRI collaboration in rice research.
IRRI Director General Ronald P.
Cantrell, Deputy Director General for
Partnerships William G. Padolina, and
Deputy Director General for Research
Ren Wang welcomed Minister Truss.
Duncan Macintosh, head of IRRI Visitors
and Information Services, briefed
Minister Truss on IRRI’s global work.
Mark A. Bell, head of the institute’s
International Programs Management
Office, updated the minister on major
Australia-IRRI projects, including the
recently completed Cambodia-IRRI-
Australia Project (CIAP).
Research under CIAP involved rice
varietal improvement, integrated nutrient
management, integrated pest management,
agricultural engineering, and
farming systems. Minister Truss visited
IRRI’s Agricultural Engineering Unit and
Experiment Station, where Joseph
Rickman, unit head, demonstrated a
prototype paddy husker tester. Minister
Truss also visited the International
Rice Genebank. His Excellency John
Buckley, the Australian ambassador to
the Philippines, accompanied Minister
Truss.
Norman E. Borlaug wins NAS medal
The US National Academy of Sciences (NAS) announced in January the awarding
of its prestigious Public Welfare Medal to agricultural scientist Norman E.
Borlaug, the founder of the Mexico-based International Maize and Wheat Improvement
Center (CIMMYT).
Many hail Dr.
Borlaug as the
father of the Green
Revolution, whose
dwarf varieties of
wheat saved
millions of lives in
Latin America,
Africa and Asia—as
well as spurred the
development of
modern varieties of
rice. A forester and
plant pathologist by
training, Dr. Borlaug
began working on
the first dwarf
wheat hybrid in the 1940s in Washington
State. In 1944, he took his improved
wheat to Mexico, where he organized
the Cooperative
Wheat Research and
Production Program,
a joint
venture of the
Mexican government
and the Rockefeller
Foundation, and
the precursor to
CIMMYT. Dr.
Borlaug, who won
the Nobel Prize in
1970, continues to
work on food and
agricultural matters
in Africa as the
president of the
Sasakawa Africa Association. He is also
a professor of international agriculture at
Texas A&M in College Station.
Australia is a major contributor to
IRRI’s research. Its total contribution to
IRRI’s programs and activities from 1973
to 2001, largely funneled through the
Australian Agency for International
Development and the Australian Centre
for International Agricultural Research,
totaled $31.2 million. IRRI’s phytotron
facilities were financed by a $1 million
donation from Australia in 1974.
IRRI impresses more
IRRI has impressed more elementary
pupils who won the 2001 Paligsahan
Bata science and technology contest,
which is sponsored by the DZMM radio
program Bago Yan Ah! and ABS-CBN
Foundation, Inc.
“I am very pleased to have personally
visited IRRI, where I gained more
knowledge in planting, field manage-
Paligsahan Bata winners and their teachers pose before
the Population Watch at IRRI’s Riceworld Museum and
Learning Center.
Sandiwà March 2002

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
DG optimistic in speech to IFSA General Assembly
Director General Ronald P. Cantrell remains optimistic that, despite the funding
shortfall brought about by the 50% reduction in Japan’s contribution to the
Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), IRRI can still
fulfill its mission and maintain excellence in all aspects of its research activities.
Jojo Lapitan addresses the 37th IFSA General Assembly,
and ( below) Dr. Cantrell swears in new officers.
Paligsahan Bata winners
ment, and rice production,” said gradesix
pupil Anna Carolina Jacinto of Juan
Sumulong Elementary School in Pasay
City. “From this, I am equipped with
more knowledge on how to value rice
production, because of our growing
population. I strongly recommend to
our government to put more emphasis
on research and rice production.”
“From my visit to IRRI, I learned that
millions of people depend on rice and
that the institute is the leading agency
that improves rice varieties and increases
its production,” commented
Mary Gigette de la Cruz, a grade-five
pupil in the same school. “I’m very
happy because I learned what types of
rice varieties could be planted in various
places under existing climatic conditions.
I wish that this agency [IRRI] could
disseminate to various countries,
especially in the Philippines, new rice
production technologies so that people
who depend on this primary staple
become self-sufficient.”
Sandiwà March 2002
This can be done, Dr. Cantrell said,
“by recognizing the real challenges and
our responsibilities as a responsible
employer, in order to make sure that we
maintain equity and that all people are
treated fairly.” The director general was
addressing the 37th general assembly
and induction of new officers and
members of the IRRI Filipino Scientists
Association (IFSA) on 8 February.
“The part of the budget that we use
to pay salaries and overheads will be
reduced by 25% in one year,” Dr.
Cantrell said. “And so we have some
challenges to face.”
The director general traced a trend
among donor countries to level off
investment in most public institutions
associated with agriculture, not just in
IRRI.
Dr. Cantrell pointed out that IRRI has
two characteristics common to almost all
public-sector institutions. “Public-sector
institutions make reductions in personnel
very slowly and very painfully,” he
said. “You don’t see that happening in
the private sector. In other words, every
time there has to be a reduction in the
private sector, the first thing that they do
is to address issues related to personnel
costs, especially in research, teaching
and extension, where the most valuable
commodity isn’t machines, but people.”
Public-sector institutions also have
trouble, Dr. Cantrell said, in setting
priorities. Citing his home state of Iowa,
he said that budget cuts were always
across the board. “It turns out weakening
the entire organization,” he explained.
“It’s not any fun to say, for
example, that an economist is less
important than an agronomist, or our
Genebank activities are more important
than agronomic research. It’s not easy to
have those kinds of discussions. Many
institutions will duck and will not
address them.”
Tremendous role
Dr. Cantrell called on IFSA members to
recognize the necessity of staff reductions
because of the magnitude of
personnel costs in IRRI’s budget. At the
same time, he said, “Let us not be afraid
to address the issues related to setting
priorities in what we do. We can still be
the flagship center of the CG system. I
have no doubts about that, but it will
not be easy.”
The director general stressed the
importance of good communication in
addressing the issues that affect employees’
welfare, noting that “IFSA can play
a tremendous role”.
Julian “Jojo” Lapitan, senior associate
scientist and manager in the International
Programs Management Office and
the newly installed IFSA president,
called on IFSA officers and members to
to page 13 . . .
5

AISAS Valentine sale. The
Association of IRRI Secretaries and
Administrative Staff (AISAS) celebrated
Valentine’s Day on 14 February with a sale.
An annual fund-raising activity, the sale
featured flowers, cakes, pastries,
chocolates, balloons, decorative plants, and
candles. AISAS and other IRRI staff
members made the most of the delicious
pastries and beautiful flower and balloon
arrangements.
Jonathan “Jojo” Abengania of the Plant
Breeding, Genetics and Biochemistry
Division (PBGB) is the new chairman of the
Association of IRRI Research Support Staff
(AIRESS), replacing Artemio Madrid, Jr., of
Crop, Soil and Water Sciences (CSWS), whose
term expired in December.
AIRESS is raising funds to support needy
Jojo Abengania
students in the community. It is also seeking
management’s support for a working area
where it can help support staff thresh out their work-related grievances. Its
officers are also volunteering their services to train IRRI staff that are
interested in basic automotive and electrical repairs, Mr. Abengania said.
The other elected officers are Rolando Santos
of Transport Services (TS), vice chairman; Ruben
Chavez of CSWS, secretary; Ariel Nuque of TS,
treasurer; Sabino Parducho of the Experiment
Station and Oscar Gonzales of PBGB, auditors;
and Jose Marasigan of Genetic Resources Center
and Domingo Ortiz of Physical Plant Services,
public relation officers (PRO).
The outgoing officers in addition to Mr.
Madrid are Oscar Gonzales, vice chairman;
Artemio Madrid
Jonathan Abengania, secretary; Wilfredo Lanip,
treasurer; Ariel Nuque, auditor; Sabino Parducho and Virgilio Ancheta,
PRO.
6
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
Jojo Abengania heads AIRESS
SINoP General Assembly
The Society of IRRI Nonresearch
Professionals (SINoP) will hold its
general assembly and induction of officers
and members at 4 pm on Friday, 8 March.
President Kathy Lopez said the SINoP board
plans to implement this year environmental
projects such as urban and organic farming
and waste management. The board also
agreed to hold a series of professional
seminars, bingo social, Christmas bazaar,
Sapin-sapin, gift giving, Christmas party for
orphans, and scholarship grants for Bagong
Silang students.
CIAT scientists perish in plane crash
Two staff members of the CGIAR’s
International Center for Tropical Agriculture
(CIAT), Chusa Ginés, coordinator of the
Cassava Biotechnology Network (CBN), and
Verónica Mera, research associate of CBN,
lost their lives in an airline accident in
January. The plane crashed in the mountains
close to the frontier between Colombia and
Ecuador, leaving no survivors.
Sandiwà March 2002

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
SINoP distributes goodies.
The Society of IRRI Nonresearch
Professionals (SINoP) once again
visited the Kibo Orphanage and
Pinagpala Children’s Home in Victoria
to bring food items and other gifts for
some 60 children. Eves Reyes, Syl
Arellano and Leody Genil, all members
of the SINoP Board of Directors, as well
as Fred Reyes and Mary Ann Burac,
went to the orphanage on 16 February
to mark the Valentine season and share
goodwill and love toward the orphans,
who prepared a short program to
express their thanks. The food and gift
items came from South Supermarket
and were part of the Christmas
collection drive that SINoP undertook
late last year. The two orphanages are
regular beneficiaries of SINoP’s
collection drives and fund-raising
efforts. A gardening project is being
planned to help the orphanage raise
more funds for its operations.
AFSTRI 2002 Excom
Y
Yongming Gao
ongming
Gao, a
postdoctoral fellow
with Plant Breeding,
Genetics and
Biochemistry
(PBGB), is the new
president of the
Association of
Fellows, Scholars,
Trainees and Residents of IRRI (AFSTRI)
Executive Committee for 2002.
The other new officers are Lila Kumar
Khatiwada, an MS scholar in the Training
Center, vice president; Muhammed Zahed, a
PhD scholar in PBGB, general secretary;
Mayank Rai, a PhD scholar in PBGB,
assistant secretary; Etsuko Araki, a postdoctoral
fellow in PBGB, treasurer; Girish
Chandel, a PhD scholar in PBGB, cultural
secretary; Paul Belder, a PhD scholar in Crop,
Soil and Water Sciences, sports secretary;
Anitha Raman, a PhD scholar in the
Biometrics and Bioinformatics Unit, literary
officer; and Pompe Sta. Cruz, a postdoctoral
fellow in the Training Center, officer for
Philippine affairs.
Sandiwà March 2002
7

AFSTRI Cultural Night a success!
The Association of Fellows, Scholars, Trainees and Residents of IRRI staged the AFSTRI 2002 International Cultural
Night in Chandler Auditorium on 25 January. AFSTRI held its Ricefest 2002 on the same evening. Director General
Ron Cantrell and his wife, Pam, presented certificates of participation at both events. A. Jauhar Ali, AFSTRI general
secretary, expressed his appreciation for the support AFSTRI receives from Dr. Cantrell and the rest of IRRI management.
Shown here (clockwise from top left): students from the Manila Patriotic School perform the traditional dragon dance;
Vietnamese dance to the tune of the Rice Drum folk song with women holding special traditional hats; an African dance by
scholars from Tanzania, Ethiopia and Ghana; the Vietnamese Rice Drum dance; a Japanese scholar sings and dances the
fishing folk song Sohran-bushi; students from the Manila Patriotic School interpret one of the dances performed in Beijing
when China won its bid to host the 2008 Olympic Games; Manila Patriotic School kindergarten supervisor Li Yi Rong sings
a Chinese song; kindergarten pupils from the Manila Patriotic School with Olympic flags; Vietnamese singers Nhiem,
Truong, Thang, Hong, Nang and Truan; Pam Cantrell presents a token of appreciation to the head of the Chinese Cultural
Troupe as A. Jauhar Ali looks on; Jatinder Kaur, Indu Virmani, Sukhbir Brar and Naseema Jauhar sing a folk song of love
from Punjab, India; 7-year-old Sima Ghimire from Nepal interprets a folk song through dance.
8 Sandiwà March 2002
Sandiwà March 2002
9

10
. . . Rice from page 1
the most of the next two weeks of my
time (and IRRI’s), learning everything I
could about rice.
The session about rice morphology
and the growth phases of the rice plant,
using online learning materials, was
useful. I knew that a rice crop takes
three to four months from planting to
harvest, but I didn’t know why the
length of time varies. And I had never
even wondered at the difference
between a coleoptile and a coleorhiza.
Day 2 consisted of lectures on rice
plant morphology and growth stages.
The talk on the different plant types and
breeding was an eye-opener. The Green
Revolution, which to me had been just a
hazy legend, became real with facts and
figures on how IRRI-developed rice
varieties increased yields by 41%, thus
helping provide more food for the
burgeoning world population. Without
these improved high-yielding varieties,
there would have been 2% more
Kathy and her classmates in the field.
malnourished children today than there
were 25 years ago, and more forests
would have been converted to farms,
thus hastening the destruction of the
world’s natural resources. What I
learned further underscored the
importance of IRRI’s work.
We came early for the land preparation
exercises the next day, where we
used a carabao (water buffalo) to plow
the field, drove three kinds of tractors
for tilling, and tried small machines to
prepare the soil. Eugene Castro of the
Training Center, another course
coordinator, showed us how to operate
some of these machines. For the first
time, I waded knee-deep into mud and
learned to push the mechanical plow
and prod the carabao. Preparing the
field is one of the most difficult
operations in rice planting, but we
enjoyed wrestling with the carabao.
Isora Franco Dominguez, a plant
physiologist, had never worked with a
draft animal before in her native Cuba,
where using machinery is the norm;
Renate Braun, a Swiss national in the
IRRI-Lao Office, was better attuned to
the urban jungle of Hong Kong; Pong
Quilloy, an administrative coordinator at
the International Program Management
Office, was used to working in an airconditioned
office, as was Training
Center Consultant Joyce Gorsuch; and
Chito Recto, a bank owner who lives in
posh Ayala-Alabang, had probably never
needed to dirty his fingers in mud.
The fourth day was devoted to more
practical sessions on seed germination
and calculating fertilizer inputs—and to
more lectures on nitrogen management
in rice and composting. We learned
what additional nutrients to apply
Sandiwà March 2002

during the rice plant’s critical growth
stages, when to apply them, and how to
compute the amount of fertilizer that a
crop needs. During the discussions,
farmer-participants shared their experiences
on the farm. We also visited the
International Rice Genebank, where
IRRI holds hundreds of thousands of
rice varieties, including wild species, in
trust for humanity.
Backbreaking task
The fifth day was drizzly, but we tried
seeding, transplanting, and direct
seeding—again in a muddy field.
Transplanting is a backbreaking task that
is gradually being replaced by direct
seeding in lowland rice environments.
After stooping in the mud for only half
an hour, we all knew one good reason
why. In the afternoon, we had lectures
on water management and biofertilizers.
More than half of the water used in rice
production is for land preparation, and
IRRI is studying ways to save water
through efficient cultural practices and
Sandiwà March 2002
by developing drought-tolerant varieties
for arid and drought-prone areas.
Meanwhile, biofertilizers using organic
manure from composting and the tiny
water fern called Azolla are increasingly
promoted to reduce farmers’ use of
chemical fertilizers and better safeguard
the environment.
The second week started with very
interesting lectures on weeds, integrated
pest management, and rice pests.
Farmers’ typical aversion to risk means
they use a lot of insecticide sprays to kill
any kind of insect—even if the sprays
are not needed. Unknowingly, they kill
the beneficial insects as well, such as
the spiders and wasps that prey on
pests. Integrated pest management is a
concept that IRRI actively promotes to
farmers. By maximizing biological
control through the use of friendly
insects, farmers can reduce their use of
insecticides, thereby protecting habitats
and biodiversity.
A discussion with fellow farmerparticipant
Teroy Jimenez, who owns
and operates a 4-ha coconut and rice
farm in Batangas, revealed that too
many farmers spray insecticides indiscriminately.
“The best lesson for me in
this course is knowing how to better
control diseases without resorting to
using insecticide sprays,” he said.
to page 12 . . .
11

12
. . . Rice from page 11
“Farmers learn quickly,” observed
farmer leader and women’s rights
advocate Sita Esmao. “IRRI technologies
are science-based, and if combined with
practical farmers’ practices, they provide
farmers with more options. A course
like this is a big help to farmers and to
me personally. I would recommend that
more women farmers attend it.”
In between lectures and during
coffee breaks, our classmate from
Syngenta, David Amor, showed some
videos designed to educate farmers on
the use of chemical insecticides. “Our
company started farmer classes to
effectively reach farmers and farm
families,” he stated, “and to share
information and knowledge—not only
about our products, but also about
important topics such as pest management,
conservation, values, and even
financial management.”
On Day 7 we again went to the field
and tried various machines for seeding,
transplanting, applying fertilizer, and
weeding. Some were fabricated by the
Agricultural Engineering Unit and are
being adopted by collaborators and
small farmers in other rice-growing
countries. We also collected weed
specimens for identification. Outside the
lecture room, specimens of weeds,
insects and plant diseases were displayed
during the whole two weeks.
Seed selection with
classmate Aileen
del Rosario.
We had more lectures on diseases
caused by fungi, viruses and bacteria—
and the cardinal rule in plant protection
to treat diseases when you first see
them. I found diseases one of the more
interesting topics that we studied. My
father is a plant pathologist, and I
remember leafing through some of his
books with glossy pictures of insects
and diseases when I was growing up.
We also discussed harvesting,
threshing, milling, drying and storage,
the importance of which many underestimate.
We saw how these vital stages
of the production chain are done
manually and using various machines.
Highlight of the day
The highlight of the day was a visit to a
2-ha integrated farm owned by former
IRRI Liaison Scientist Cesar Mamaril,
where he experiments with organic
manure, integrated pest management,
and scientific farming methods. Dr.
Mamaril grows IRRI-developed rice
varieties, which he sells locally as brown
rice for P35 per kilo. Brown rice is
gaining popularity because it is more
nutritious than polished white rice.
The ninth day was devoted to
another practical exercise: rice
agroecosystem analysis, a popular
teaching approach used in farmers’ field
schools. The rice field was our classroom.
We were divided into groups, and
each group was assigned a field on the
IRRI farm. We gathered data about the
field and weather conditions, analyzed
the crop for nutrient deficiencies and
diseases, counted insects and collected
them, along with disease specimens,
analyzed our findings, and prepared the
group report. This allowed us to
diagnose field problems and suggest
corrective measures. In the afternoon
we reported our findings and recommendations
in class, followed by a final
lecture on economic decisions.
Producing rice is a business that
requires a complex set of decisions. Ato
Maranan, director of the Dagatan Farm
School in Lipa City, Batangas, which
prepares farm children to take an
appreciative and professional approach
to farming, says, “We believe that
farming is a professional business and
we can prepare farm children to
become good business professionals.”
Still, when we students learned the
economic risks and costs involved in
producing rice, many of us asked why
anybody would choose to try.
The last day brought the final exam,
a bonus lecture on hybrid rice, and the
course evaluation. This time I made sure
that I would do better in both the
written and practical exams. Taking the
course certainly has not made me an
expert on rice—but who would have
thought that I would finish second in
my class?
In the end, the course gave me more
than good memories and a lot of
knowledge. It helped me to rediscover
rice and not take it for granted. This
glorious grain means life itself to many
people, and I salute the generations of
rice farmers who toil to produce the
food that feeds us all.
Prosperity has changed Los Baños.
Fields have yielded to business blocks
and residential subdivisions, but farms
continue to thrive, side by side with
entrepreneurial ventures, contributing to
the growth of the town. Driving home
everyday—seeing the rice fields and
breathing in the fresh air—I am glad that
my home is Los Baños by the lake.
Sandiwà March 2002

. . . Resurreccion from page 2
don’t have to worry about domestic
matters, since the kids are all grown up
and I have responsible helpers. It’s just
perfect timing. If this weren’t the
. . . IFSA from page 5
face up to the challenges that the
institute is facing.
“As members of IFSA and the IRRI
community, we would like to be
counted on by management in times of
challenges like this,” Mr. Lapitan said.
“Let’s recognize that IRRI’s problem is
not only a problem for the director
general and management to solve. It’s
ours as well.
“As Filipino scientists, let us continue
to pursue excellence in rice science,” he
continued. “IRRI exists, and will continue
to exist, as long as it is producing
excellent and relevant rice and ricebased
technologies. Let’s strive even
harder and smarter to produce the best
rice technologies that will continue to
feed the world. Let us communicate our
bright ideas through proper fora. Let us
maximize our involvement where we
are good.
“We have a tradition of excellence in
rice science. Let us nurture it. Let us
Sandiwà March 2002
situation, I wouldn’t have had the time
for my personal growth.”
After her PhD, Dory still has a lot on
her to-do list. “For starters, I want to
finish that cross-stitch project that has
been lying around the house for ages
keep our head high in taking pride in
our work as rice scientists. This is the
best contribution that we can make
toward IRRI’s survival. Other nationalities
will come and go from our beloved
institute, but we Filipinos will always be
here. We need to continue looking for
new and innovative ways to support
IRRI’s mission. Let us transform these
challenges into opportunities,” Mr.
Lapitan concluded.
Strong partnership
Renato Reaño, assistant scientist in the
Genetic Resources Center and outgoing
IFSA president, called for a strong
partnership between IFSA and IRRI. “Let
us not think of building a wall between
us,” he said. “Instead, let us try to break
whatever barrier there is. It is our aim
that, in whatever challenges we are to
face, whatever negotiations we are to
enter, nobody should be a loser. This is
what we mean by strong partnership.”
Deputy Director General for Partnerships
William G. Padolina inducted the
now,” she begins. “I want to be
able to cook the recipes I’ve been
collecting over the years. I also
want to work on my spirituality. I
want to be a religious person, and
I’m trying hard to be, not by
attending mass or joining religious
groups here and there, but by
looking into my inner being and
establishing that connection with
God through people. Besides,
that’s what we are all here for, not
for material gains but for spiritual
perfection.”
Humbling words from a woman
who has achieved so much.
Dory plans to retire at 65, but
then she quickly corrects herself.
“My husband will retire two years
earlier than I, so I guess I will
retire at 63,” she says. “That way, we
can spend more time doing things
together, like traveling.”
What a perfect way to end a career
that has encompassed age, motherhood
and the realization of her dreams.
new members, who pledged to “promote
active fellowship and mutual
concern, foster professional growth,
stimulate research and intellectual
dialogue, encourage social, civic, and
cultural consciousness, promote and
uphold the general welfare of members”.
The new members were Assistant
Scientists Mira Pampolino and Bita
Avendaño, Researcher Abby Elmido
(Crop, Soil and Water Sciences), Database
Administrator Victor Jun Ulat
(Biometrics and Bioinformatics Unit),
Training Assistant Dennis Gavino
(Training Center), Gene Array and
Molecular Marker Applications Laboratory
Manager Menchu Bernardo,
Assistant Scientists Vit Lopena, Ellen
Tumimbang, Cristina Sison and Mary
Jeane Yanoria, Researcher Bing Sallan,
Database Administrator Grace Lee
Serioso Capilit (Plant Breeding, Genetics
and Biochemistry), and HR Specialist
Gladys Faith Tan (Human Resources
Services).
13

14
KEEPING UP
Leadership change at Training Center
After providing excellent leadership at IRRI’s
Training Center over the past two years, Paul
Marcotte (left) has accepted the position of director
of International Programs at the University of
California, Davis. Dr. Marcotte’s employment at IRRI
officially continues until 19 April, but he will leave
Los Baños on 10 March for a professional trip and
then go on to UC Davis.
With Dr.
Marcotte’s vision, the
Training Center staff
has developed a new strategy for IRRI’s training
activities in the new millennium. To continue the
momentum, the responsibilities of units within the
Office of the Deputy Director General for Partnerships
are being restructured. Mark Bell (right), head
of the International Programs Management Office,
will assume leadership of the Training Center,
effective 10 March.
Glenn Gregorio named RDA Honorary Scientist
Glenn B. Gregorio, affiliate scientist (plant
breeder) in Plant Breeding, Genetics and Biochemistry
(PBGB), has been named an Honorary Scientist of the
Rural Development Administration (RDA) of Korea for
three years, effective 1 January 2002. RDA is the central
government organization responsible for agricultural
research and extension in Korea. Honorary scientists are
nominated on the basis of leadership and excellence in
their area of specialty. Dr. Gregorio will serve as a resource
person to the RDA for scientific consultation.
IRRI in history
New editor for IRRN
J
.K. Ladha (left), soil nutritionist in
Crop, Soil and Water Sciences, took
over the editorship of International Rice
Research Notes (IRRN) from Mike
Cohen, the first editor-in-chief of the
journal since its revamp in 1998, who is
leaving after eight years at IRRI. Dr.
Ladha first joined IRRI as a postdoctoral
fellow starting in 1980, working his way
up to soil nutritionist in 1999. His
current responsibility is rice-wheat
research in South Asia. He is regional
editor of Biology and fertility of soils and
sits in the editorial board of Nutrient
cycling in agorecosystems (Netherlands),
Japanese journal of soil science and
plant nutrition, and the Indian journal
of microbiology.
Strengthening ties. Twenty-four years ago this
month, on 13 March 1978, Li Hsien-nien ( second from left),
vice premier of People’s Republic of China, toured IRRI
while on a state visit to the Philippines. Person-to-person
contacts between IRRI and the world’s largest rice
producer had begun less than four years earlier when a
10-member plant science delegation spent four weeks on
the Chinese mainland. First Lady Imelda Marcos ( holding
umbrella) and Secretary of Agriculture Arturo R. Tanco
(left) accompanied the Chinese vice premier. The same
year, Lin Shih-cheng, a plant breeder at the Chinese
Academy of Agricultural Sciences in Beijing, accepted an
invitation to join IRRI’s Board of Trustees.
Sandiwà March 2002

KEEPING UP
New faces
P anfilo
G. de
Guzman
joined the
International
Service for
the Acquisition
of
Agribiotech
Applications (ISAAA-SEAsia
Center) as assistant scientist II on 5
February. Mr. De Guzman obtained his
BS in agricultural economics and master
of environmental management and
development work from the University
of the Philippines Los Baños. His duties
include providing senior level assistance
to the ISAAA SEAsia director in managing
and coordinating the center’s
operations and ISAAA’s agri-biotechnology
transfer projects and activities in the
Sandiwà March 2002
five countries of the SEAsia region and
other collaborating countries.
Ireneo M. Gibas joined Crop, Soil
and Water Sciences
as an office clerk
on 6 February.
An economics
graduate of
Colegio De Los
Baños, he will
provide secretarial
assistance to
the administrative
coordinator in
preparing monthly travel and leave
summary reports and other office-related
activities.
Moving on
Moving up
Objectives Training workshop/title Target participants Date
A ileen
E. del
Rosario
joined Communication
and Publications
Services
(CPS) on 4
February as a
photographer.
An anthropology graduate from
the University of the Philippines in
Diliman, Quezon City, Ms. del Rosario
joined CPS as an emergency photography
assistant on 8 October.
Five NRS resigned last month. They were Leila H. Herbano, administrative
coordinator, PBGB; Tomas S. Llaneta, research technician II, EPPD; Flordeliza
B. Lopez, data encoder, Finance; Erlie E. Putungan, graphics designer, CPS; and
Charlene R. Ramos, library assistant I, Library.
HR Services (National Staff) 2002 Training Plan
Communication Telephone etiquette 50 NRS especially secretaries To be arranged
and administrative coordinators
Personal/organizational Managing transitions 100 NRS 15-16, 23-24 May
effectiveness
Personal/organizational Work safety and effectiveness 60 NRS 5-6, 12-13 Mar
effectiveness workshop
Personal effectiveness Strengthening personal and 75 NRS 10, 11, 12, 16, 17, 18 Apr
interpersonal competencies 2, 3, 4 Jul
and effectiveness
Communication Effective written communication 75 NRS 24-25 Jun; 2 sessions to be
arranged
People management Managerial skills enhancement 20 NRS for levels 7 & 8 16, 17, 18 July
Personal effectiveness Career planning 100 NRS 20-21, 28-29 Aug
Service excellence Customer relations effectiveness 25 NRS 15-16 Oct
workshop
Communication Effective presentation skills 25 NRS 23, 24, 25 Oct
Service excellence Supervisory skills enhancement III 50 NRS 12-13, 19-20 Nov
15

16
Community Bulletin Board
Guidelines on IRRI Club use
Human Resources Services-Employee Relations (HRS-ER) has
issued guidelines on the use of the IRRI Club, which is located
on the ground floor of the Collaborators’ Center.
The club caters to IRRI and Collaborator Centers’ staff. Staff
of contract agencies—Safeguard, LBCSI, Lazaga, Sallimel’s,
Riceland, and Kabesilya—are requested to present their
identification cards to the guard on duty when using the
facility. The club is open to staff dependents and guests when
accompanied by an IRRI staff member.
Club users should log in at the counter. Equipment should
be returned to the club coordinator after use. Any loss or
damage of equipment due to improper use is the user’s
responsibility. The club will not be responsible for loss of the
users’ personal belongings or for injuries sustained while in the
club premises.
Smoking, eating, drinking and gambling are strictly prohibited.
Violators will be barred from using the facilities.
Users are advised to consult a doctor before engaging in
any exercise. Appropriate attire should be worn when using
the gym. The club is open from 4 pm to 7 pm, Monday to
Friday. There is no fee for using the gym.
Reservations to use the lounge for special events should be
made to the HRS-ER manager (Lilian Montero-Mendoza, ext.
233 or l.mendoza@cgiar.org) at least two weeks in advance
and are subject to minimal fees. Users are responsible for
ensuring orderliness and cleanliness of the club after use.
Janitorial assistance should be coordinated with Physical Plant
Services at the users’ expense.
Annual physical exams
Beginning on 1 March, the annual physical examination (APE)
will be conducted from Monday to Friday, except on nonworking
holidays. Employees are advised to observe the
following schedule: 8-9:30 am, submission of specimen; 8:30-
9:30 am, physical examination for female employees with Dr.
Julie Pua-Ferraz; 1-2:30 pm, physical exam for male employees
with Dr. Leovic Dalmacio.
The APE will be conducted during the birth month of
regular or project employees. Employees must inform clinic
staff of their preferred date to undergo the APE, which will be
conducted in one day only. Female employees are advised to
submit their specimen a day before the APE to allow the
physician to have a basis for evaluation.
Employees will be notified if further evaluation regarding
laboratory results, chest x-ray, ECG and other tests is needed.
Blood chemistry is done every Monday and Wednesday only
and upon the physician’s recommendation. To maintain regular
clinic operations, only five female and five male employees
will be accommodated daily for the APE.
Rent a digicam
Communication and Publication Services (CPS) aims to provide
a wide range of media options for IRRI staff members. One of
these options is digital video, a tool that is growing in use for
documenting research, collaborating with colleagues, and
producing high-impact presentations. For staff members who
would like to give video a try, CPS has an easy-to-use DVX-
1000 video digicam available on a rental basis for the equivalent
of only $7/day. Go to CPS Connex for details.
Use the Community Bulletin Board to publicize an event, make an announcement, send personal
greetings, buy and sell. Please submit your notice no later than a week before the end of the
month, to appear in the following month’s Sandiwa. E-mail Sandiwa@irri.cgiar.org or call Johnny
Goloyugo (x6824) or Peter Fredenburg (x401).
Driver’s license renewal
Drivers’ licenses expiring between 25 March and 19 April are
due for renewal Friday, 22 March. These belong to Roberto B.
Revilleza, Romeo L. Jarmin, Teodoro R. Migo, Ana A. Eusebio,
Ricardo M. Hernandez, Vicente M. Arcillas, Mario B. Corral,
Macario B. Montecillo, Macario S. Perez, Emmanuel C. Eusebio,
Tiburcio L. Halili, Esteban C. Palis, Percival P. Leon, Jesse C.
Banasihan, Virgilio T. Ancheta, Graham McLaren, Charity Hilda
Niwiga, Danilo Alfredo Pezo, Yoshimichi Fukuta, John Bennett
and Kaur Virk. Renewal forms are available in the IRRI forms
folder in Microsoft Outlook. Please direct any questions to Lito
Cabral of Transport Services, ext. 230.
Management of meeting facilities
Visitors and Information Services now manages all reservations
for the following IRRI general meeting facilities: FF Hill Board
Room, General Meeting Room, Harrar Hall Seminar Room,
Chandler Hall Auditorium, Asia Room, and D. L. Umali
Laboratory Rooms A, B, and C. Contact Zordy Menguito ext.
575 or Ella Castro ext. 201.
ATM withdrawal charges
Withdrawals from the Harrar Hall ATM from banks other than
BPI/BPI Family Bank incur charges of P5-7 pesos per transaction.
These bank charges are deducted from depositors’
account at the end of the month. Treasury recommends that
depositors maintain balances sufficient to cover these charges,
so that banks will not close their accounts.
ECDC issues dividends
The IRRI Employees Credit & Development Cooperative
(ECDC) will issue dividends on 8 March. Members can choose
between a check and a cash deposit slip to facilitate issuance.
Dividends worth more than P1,000 will be issued by check.
Members who opt to use the cash deposit slip can withdraw
their dividends from the BPI Family Bank ATM on 8 March.
New books of general interest in the library
Philippines travel guide by Jens Peters Bremen: 2001. 839
pages; paperback; call number DS654.P48.2001. Includes 175
maps of islands, towns and beaches; a selection of pre-planned
travel routes and information on transportation, accommodation,
and restaurants; a language chapter; illustrated sections
on flora, fauna and culture, and details of outdoor activities
including cycling, diving, hiking and surfing.
Surviving your dissertation: a comprehensive guide to
content and process by Kjell Erik Rudestam, Rae R. Newton.
2nd ed. London: Sage Publications, 2001. 298 pages; paperback;
call number LB2369.R83.2001. The authors provide
guidance not found in other books, from ways to improve
writing to identifying learning styles and dealing with emotional
blocks. Through examples from a wide range of disciplines,
expert advice is provided on the entire dissertation
process: selecting a suitable topic, conducting a literature
search, managing data overload, building an argument,
presenting the material data and results, and working with
faculty committees. The use of the Internet as a source of
reference materials is included.
Sandiwà March 2002