Marcos: More than food, rice is life for PinoysMANILA, Philippines — Rice is life for Filipinos, President Marcos said yesterday, as he likened issues affecting the supply of the food staple to an “existential problem.”“It goes without saying but I think it bears repeating that rice in our countries means more than food. Rice in Asia, rice in the countries where it is the staple, is in fact life,” Marcos told delegates of the 6th International Rice Congress in Pasay. “And whenever we find ourselves in a situation where the supply of rice is threatened, this is almost an existential problem that ordinary people feel,” he added. Marcos said the government invests in research and machinery and supports farmers through the National Rice Program and the Rice Competitive Enhancement Fund. The Philippines has also been working with international institutions like the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and foreign governments to ensure the steady supply of rice and to enhance the development and sharing of crucial technologies and strategies, he added.
