Republic of the Philippines
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Philippine Center for Postharvest
Development and Mechanization
CLSU Compound, Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija

NEWS STORIES

PHilMech now leads PGPC
by Vladimir B. Caliguiran (July 15, 2013)
For the second time, the PHilMech will lead the Philippine Grains Postproduction Consortium (PGPC), the association of primary institutions engaged in grains postproduction RD&E, effective May 2013.



The leadership was officially turned-over to PHilMech Director Rex L. Bingabing by the National Agriculture and Fishery Council (NAFC) Director Ariel Cayanan during the celebration of the 35th PHilMech anniversary and Postharvest Loss Prevention Week last May 22 at PHilMech headquarters.




PHilMech took its first leadership in the consortium in 1999 to 2001.




Member-agencies of PGPC include the International Rice Research Institute, Philippine Rice Research Insitutue, National Food Authority, University of the Philippines in Los Baños, NAFC and PHilMech.




The PGPC is mandated to identify, coordinate and pursue priority areas of collaboration among its member institutions, in the area of research, and development and extension to enhance the development of the rice and other grains postproduction industry in the Philippines.
The consortium conducts technology development, basic and applied researches, seminars, workshops and trainings, policy recommendations, and grains postproduction conferences.




The development of a six-ton batch recirculating dryer was one of the accomplishments of the consortium. At present, the dryer is undergoing a field testing operation in Isabela.



The PGPC was organized in June 1999 through a Memorandum of Agreement among the agencies then institutionalized under the Department of Agriculture in April 2004 through Executive Order 309.




The PGPC was first known as PRPC or the Philippine Rice Postproduction Consortium until the EO 309 was amended through EO 59 on September 30, 2011 mandating the inclusion of other grains in the coverage of the consortium’s RD&E activities.