Rice museum declared tourist spot

SCIENCE CITY OF MUÑOZ, Nueva Ecija, Philippines – The Department of Tourism (DOT) has declared the Rice Science Museum here as a tourist spot.

With its accreditation, the rice museum is now registered in the http://visitmyphilippines.com, a DOT-maintained website, along with the Aquino Center and Museum in Tarlac City.

DOT regional director for Central Luzon Ronaldo Tiotuico said the museum, operated by the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), presents rice culture, traditions and science in the rice granary of the country.

“It is a good place to visit. The museum presents rice in a way that the public will appreciate and understand,” he said.

Charisma Love Gado, senior science research specialist at PhilRice, said studies have shown the significant role of museums in society through education.

Launched in September last year, the museum highlighted rice science, art, and technology through rice-farming communities in the country, labor and cost-reducing machines and rice seeds.

The museum has displayed three exhibits – Lovelife with Rice, Abundant Harvest and Colors of Rice.

The last focuses on the health and nutrition aspects of rice, and runs until February 2016.

Gado said the Rice Science Museum has partnered with the Museo Pambata and went mobile to encourage children to build a career on ensuring the country’s food supply.

In the “Paglaki ko, gusto kong maging....” program of the country’s premier children’s museum, eight to 12-year-old pupils in Metro Manila were made to imagine themselves as agriculturists in the future, trying to nurture a nation needing food security.

Noreen Parafina, program director of Museo Pambata, noted the significant role played by the younger generation in food security.  

“Children must learn about this noble career at an early age as it is a career that helps feed the nation,” she said.