BUTUAN CITY – In support of the nationwide celebration of the National Rice Awareness Month, the Agricultural Training Institute – Regional Training Center 13 conducted the kick-off ceremony on November 4, 2021 via Facebook Live.

Assistant Center Director Heracleo A. Paler enjoined everyone to take part in this advocacy by valuing every grain of rice, avoiding wastage, and more importantly by eating brown rice and other food staples. He also encouraged every consumer to buy locally-produced rice to help our farmers. In his message, OIC Center Director Fil Victor A. Babanto hoped that through this undertaking we can raise the consciousness of the consumers, producers as well as processors on how to consume rice, a healthy way.

Ms. Violeta T. Laguna, Chief of the Career Development and Management Services Section and Rice Point Person enumerated the various activities lined up for the NRAM which include among others the webinar series via Zoom every Thursday, information caravan, TikTok challenge, and jingle making contests.

The first episode of the webinar series commenced immediately after the kick-off ceremony on the topic Food Safety Awareness which was discussed by Dr. Andrea J. Cabonita, the Provincial Science and Technology Director of the Department of Science and Technology – Provincial Science and Technology Center, Agusan del Sur. The second episode was focused on the health benefits of Black, Brown and Golden Rice with the Resource Person, Dr. Marissa V. Romero, the Chief Science Research Specialist of PhilRice – Rice Chemistry and Food Science Division, while the 3rd and 4th episodes will focus on the preparation of various rice-based recipes.

The NRAM is celebrated every November under Presidential Proclamation No. 524, s. 2004.