The Piddig Way: How a Northern Town Transformed Rice Farming

Piddig, Ilocos Norte – From the municipal hall perched above wide stretches of green fields, Piddig offers a view as inspiring as its story.  Inside, a painting honoring the heroism of Ilocanos mirrors the town’s enduring spirit—resilient, proud, and forward-looking.

This same spirit has earned Piddig national recognition. In 2022, the town received the Galing Pook Award for its Consolidated Farm Production System (CFPS) – a homegrown innovation that has empowered farmers, introduced modern technologies, and strengthened the rice value chain. 

To learn from this success, representatives from the Peace and Equity Foundation (PEF), local governments, and social enterprise partners from Camarines Sur, Bataan, and Nueva Ecija visited Piddig on October 13–14, 2025, for a two-day learning exchange. 

Strengthening the Rice Industry Together

The visit forms part of PEF’s ongoing commitment to improve the livelihoods of rice farmers in partner communities. The delegation included Mayor Edelson Marfil of Libmanan; Fr. Granwell N. Pitapit of the Oragon Farmers Agriculture Cooperative; Arlene Javier of Dinalupihan Municipal Agriculture Office; Catalino Obinario of the Cooperative Enterprise for True Economic Reform; and PEF Executive Director Roberto Calingo.

During the discussions, National Irrigation Administrator Eduardo “Eddie” Guillen shared the building blocks of the CFPS model — proactive leadership, strategic value chain analysis, consolidation for economies of scale, robust linkages with neighboring local governments and national agencies, and strong public-private partnerships.

He emphasized how synergy among sectors can transform rural economies:

“Nasa Diyos ang awa, nasa tao ang gawa, nasa Mayor ang diskarte,” Guillen remarked.

[Mercy comes from God, action comes from people, and strategy comes from the Mayor.]

Municipal Agriculturist Dr. Harvey Adap added that the CFPS model has not only improved yields but also made farming more cost-efficient.

“It raised the average production of farmers while reducing costs. They now have access to tools and fertilizers that used to come with high interest when borrowed from traders,” he explained.

The group also visited the Piddig Basi Multipurpose Cooperative, whose close partnership with the local government has enabled farmers to manage thriving enterprises, from rice processing to other agribusiness ventures.

Scaling Up Success, Sharing What Works

Inspired by Piddig’s achievements, PEF and its partners aim to deepen collaboration through a knowledge-sharing consortium among rice-producing towns. The initiative will serve as a platform to scale up successful practices, replicate proven innovations, and continue improving the lives of farming communities across the country. ###