Antiwaste campaign is run by PhilRice, not IRRI

On behalf of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), I am writing in reaction to the story titled “QC restos now required to offer half servings of rice at half the price” (Metro, 8/7/14).

While the IRRI fully supports responsible rice consumption, we would like to point out that the campaign to reduce rice wastage should be credited to the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice). Reducing rice wastage is a component of the  PhilRice’s 2013 National Year of Rice campaign. The  IRRI continues to support the rice consumption advocacy of the Department of Agriculture and PhilRice, our long-time partners in the Philippines.

—JULIAN LAPITAN,

head of partnerships (on behalf of Dr. V. Bruce J. Tolentino, deputy director general for communication and partnerships), International Rice Research Institute