DOST Secretary Renato U. Solidum, Jr. (left) and IRRI Director General Yvonne Pinto (right) sign new Memorandum of
Understanding for joint initiatives of DOST and IRRI
TAGUIG CITY — Pinalakas ng Department of Science and Technology (DOST) at International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) ang kanilang matagal nang partnership matapos lumagda sa bagong Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) noong Setyembre 7, 2026, para isulong ang rice research at innovation gamit ang mga umuusbong na teknolohiya.
Sa ilalim ng kasunduan, pagtutuunan ng dalawang institusyon ang rice genomics, bioinformatics, high-performance computing, science cloud, research infrastructure, grain quality at nutrition, at iba pang larangan ng rice research.
Group photo of the DOST (L) and IRRI (R) representatives at the DOST-IRRI MOU Signing Ceremony
The DOST and IRRI hold a brief meeting before the MOU signing ceremony proper
Kabilang sa mga inaasahang gawain ang joint research projects, pagpapalitan ng kaalaman at technological resources, capacity building, at pagbuo ng information at educational materials.
Nag-ugat ang bagong MOU sa matagumpay na limang-taong partnership ng DOST at IRRI. Kabilang sa naging bunga nito ang pag-sequence sa 3,024 rice varieties sa tulong ng DOST’s Computing and Archiving Research Environment (COARE) at Philippine Research, Education and Government Information Network (PREGINET), pati ang pag-aaral sa grain quality at drought tolerance.
IRRI representatives (from L-R) Deputy Director General, Dr. Junel Soriano, Director General, Dr. Yvonne Pinto, and Senior Scientist I, Dr. Madonna Casimero
DOST Secretary Renato U. Solidum, Jr. (middle), together with DOST-ASTI Director, Dr. Franz A. de Leon (left) and DOST-PCAARRD
Deputy Executive Director, Dr. Melvin B. Carlos (right) discusses DOST’s initiatives and priorities aligned with IRRI
Sa bagong kasunduan, patuloy na pag-aaralan ang mga rice varieties, climate-smart adaptation planning tools, at biotechnology applications para sa mataas ang ani, mas masustansiya at climate-resilient na bigas.
Binigyang-diin ni DOST Secretary Renato U. Solidum, Jr. ang kahalagahan ng pagsasalin ng research results tungo sa mga teknolohiya at praktikal na solusyong makatutulong sa mga Pilipino, alinsunod sa adhikain ng DOST na “OneDOST4U: solutions and opportunities for all.”
IRRI Director General Yvonne Pinto shares IRRI’s strategy and priories in its initiatives
DOST Secretary Renato U. Solidum, Jr. discusses possible points of collaboration with IRRI
Samantala, tiniyak ni IRRI Director General Dr. Yvonne Pinto ang commitment ng institusyon sa demand-driven at impact-oriented research upang mapagsama ang makabagong pandaigdigang science, kabilang ang genomics at digital tools, sa mga pangangailangan ng agrikultura ng Pilipinas.
Layunin ng bagong partnership na mapalakas ang nutrition at food security, sustainable production, at resilience sa pamamagitan ng research collaboration, knowledge exchange, pagbabahagi ng technological resources, at pagbuo ng information at educational materials.
DOST (left) and IRRI (right) present past and existing collaborations and expectations for the implementation of the MOU
