Brigada News FM-Kabankalan and Hope Builders Organization Negros Island Inc. (HBONI) are exploring a partnership with the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) of the Department of Agriculture (DA) in Negros to promote healthier rice varieties and support efforts to address malnutrition among schoolchildren.
The initiative was discussed during a meeting with PhilRice representatives Jenny Cabu-ay and Jasper Ray Cantal in Kabankalan City on Thursday, August 13.
The groups discussed possible collaboration in promoting PhilRice’s Healthier Rice Program and BeRiceponsible Campaign, particularly by bringing the advocacy to farming and consumer communities in southern Negros.
HBONI is also looking at working with PhilRice on a school-based feeding program for undernourished children, an effort that would link food and nutrition with children’s learning and school participation.
For Brigada News FM-Kabankalan, the proposed partnership could mean using its community reach to help explain the benefits of healthier rice, while giving farmers information on rice varieties they may consider cultivating.
The station also plans to use community-based stories to put the advocacy in the context of local farmers and families, not only promoting healthier rice but explaining why nutrition matters.
One of the more concrete proposals discussed was a pilot initiative in Negros using High-Zinc Rice as part of efforts to address malnutrition.*
Reymund Titong is a Filipino journalist steadily building his voice in the field of news reporting, driven by a commitment to tell meaningful and relevant stories.
He serves as a correspondent for Rappler, contributes to Negros Daily Bulletin, and maintains a blog on Medium.