MANILA—Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. challenged Filipino rice scientists to turn silver into gold following Mabango 3’s second-place finish at the World’s Best Rice 2025 Awards.

“Last month, as the country bore the brunt of Typhoon Uwan… good news emerged from Phnom Penh,” Tiu Laurel said, referring to NSIC Rc 218 SR, commercially known as Mabango 3 or Dinorado, which captured the silver medal.

The competition featured 30 rice varieties from top global exporters, including Thailand, India, and Australia. Mabango 3 was edged out only by Cambodia and Vietnam, which shared the gold in a rare tie.

“Developed by the Department of Agriculture–PhilRice, this win is a well-deserved salute to the dedication of our scientists, coming during the 40th anniversary of PhilRice,” the secretary said. “This is proof that Filipino scientists are world class.”

Bred by a team led by Thelma F. Padolina and Emily C. Arocena, Mabango 3 was approved by the National Seed Industry Council in 2009 as a premium variety. It is known for its tenderness, flavor, and aroma, qualities that impressed Chef Robert Nieto, also known as Chef Buttercup, the reigning “Lord of Rice.”

“I am very glad with this achievement that puts the Philippines on the global map. This means that rice produced by Filipino breeders are at par with the rest of the world,” Padolina said. “And at PhilRice, you can rest assured that we will do better to scale higher heights in the global stage. Thank you for this recognition.”

Tiu Laurel highlighted that Mabango 3 can yield up to eight metric tons per hectare on irrigated land. He urged PhilRice to increase seed production to boost local supply, raise farmers’ incomes, and reduce dependence on imported rice.

He emphasized that Mabango 3 is just the beginning, noting that PhilRice has developed 121 rice varieties over the past 40 years, focused on high-yield, quality, and climate-resilient crops.

“Silver will soon turn into gold,” Tiu Laurel said, calling on scientists to continue refining Philippine rice varieties for global recognition.