DA distributes hybrid and inbred rice seeds in CALABARZON under RRP Rice Resiliency Project (RRP) is part of the Plant, Plant, Plant Program of the Department of Agriculture (DA) that focuses on the extensive use of high-quality seeds to achieve higher productivity in rice. In time for the wet-season cropping, the DA in the CALABARZON region started distributing hybrid and inbred rice seeds to identified, rice-producing cities and municipalities located in Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) and non-RCEF areas for both irrigated and rain-fed lowland areas. From May 8 to 19, the DA CALABARZON has delivered 1,600 bags of hybrid seeds and 427 bags of inbred seeds to 14 cities and municipalities giving priority to those who promptly signified that the given seeds will be immediately planted. Among the city and municipalities who partially received the seeds were Maragondon and Naic in Cavite; Cabuyao, Bay, Nagcarlan, Majayjay, Magdalena, Pila, Kalayaan, Paete, Pakil, Siniloan, and Famy in Laguna; Nasugbu, Padre Garcia, and Laurel in Batangas; Antipolo, Morong, and Tanay in Rizal; and Burdeos, Infanta, Lucban, Lucena City, Sariaya, Buenavista, Mulanay, Lopez, and Tagkawayan in Quezon. According to Regional Director Arnel de Mesa, the local government units through their respective agriculture offices play a critical role in ensuring that the seeds and fertilizer support will reach the farmer- beneficiaries and will be used properly. The DA CALABARZON is also in close coordination with the National Irrigation Administration Region IV-A to ensure the availability of irrigation water on targeted areas and to achieve optimum levels of rice production activities. “With RRP, we projected additional 29,360 metric tons or 587,200 bags of palay produced in CALABARZON for the wet-season cropping,” Regional Director de Mesa said. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ .