Department of Agriculture Secretary William Dar and Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian spearheaded Friday the inauguration of new breeding laboratories at the Philippine-Sino Center for Agricultural Technology (PhilSCAT) in the Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija.
The three new PhilSCAT laboratories are dedicated to the enhancement of grain quality, pollen evaluation, and seed storage procedures. The new facilities include a cold water pond for the evaluation and seed multiplication of the Thermosensitive Genic Male Sterile (TGMS) for the development of TGMS-based or two-line hybrid rice.
Dar expressed his gratitude to PhilSCAT and the Chinese Embassy for their initiatives and investment in the country's agriculture sector. The Philippines and China have ongoing bilateral discussions concerning a potential trade involving the procurement of fertilizers.
During the event, the Chinese Embassy donated P4-million worth of fertilizers and farm machinery units to the Agriculture Department.
PhilSCAT also presented the achievements of its Technical Cooperation Program (TCP) III, which includes the cultivation of four hybrid rice lines, creation of 15 agreements, awarding of interventions to 325 farmer-beneficiaries, and patenting of newly developed agricultural technologies.
Emphasizing the accomplishments of TCP III, Dar recommended the implementation of TCP IV, which will focus on smart agriculture and smart rice production. PhilSCAT Head Marvin Cinense said the center, with the mentorship of Chinese agriculture experts, will continue promoting modern agricultural technologies and hybrid rice production in the country.
Established in 2000 as a symbol of collaboration and friendship between the Philippines and China, PhilSCAT aims to enhance communication and technical cooperation in agriculture and related fields. The center occupies a 10-hectare area within the Central Luzon State University (CLSU).
PhilSCAT has produced 10 manuals and handbooks on hybrid rice breeding, seed production, and cultivation – all of which were jointly developed with experts from China. The center has acquired several intellectual products certifications, including those for a plastic biogas digester tank, a number of new hybrid rice varieties, the Magsasakang Mekaniko Program, and the Makina Teknik Program.