The Department of Agriculture is urging rice breeders to continue developing new local varieties after PhilRice’s Mabango 3 (NSIC Rc 218 SR), commercially known as Dinorado, won a silver medal at the World’s Best Rice 2025 Awards in Phnom Penh. DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. highlighted that the award-winning variety can yield up to 8 metric tons per hectare in irrigated areas. He asked PhilRice to increase seed production to boost supply, help lower rice prices, raise farmers’ incomes, and discourage consumers from turning to imported rice.
Mabango 3, approved in 2009, is known for its tenderness, flavor, and aroma. Tiu Laurel expressed optimism that the international recognition is only the beginning, noting that the Philippines has many other varieties that could gain global attention with sustained research and improvement. The DA also plans to distribute Mabango 3 seeds to farmers through the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund.
PhilRice has developed 121 rice varieties over the past 40 years, focusing on high-yielding, quality, and climate-resilient strains.
In a related development, the DA expanded its P20-per-kilo rice program to Dapitan, Dipolog, and 25 municipalities across Zamboanga del Norte, bringing the initiative to more than 424 sites nationwide.
According to Tiu Laurel, the growing reach of the program is drawing close attention from traders and the broader supply chain.
As of December 3, the DA’s daily price index for Metro Manila showed local well-milled rice at P43.44 per kilo and local regular milled rice at P38.22 per kilo. Imported well-milled rice was priced at P45.33 per kilo, while imported regular milled rice was at P38.81 per kilo.
Premium and special varieties fetched higher prices, with imported premium rice at P49.95 per kilo and imported special rice at P58.96 per kilo. Local premium rice sold for P49.73 per kilo, while local special rice was at P57.26 per kilo.
These prices, the DA said, reflect regular market rates and are not subsidized.
