PhilRice scientist sole awardee of MWF Prize for Engineering Excellence

After a rigorous screening process, the 2017 run of the Manila Water Foundation Prize for Engineering Excellence has come to a close and a scientist with a heart for Filipino rice farmers has been chosen to be most fitting to the title.

Ricardo Orge, a supervising science research specialist from the Philippine Rice Research Institute and an agricultural engineer by degree and profession, was named as the sole awardee of the Manila Water Foundation Prize for Engineering Excellence.

The Prize is a biennial search for outstanding Filipino sci- entists and engineers whose inventions and innovations enabled change in the lives of the poorest of the poor and at the same time champion water, sanitation, environment, and sustainability.

Since 1992, Orge and his team have been studying and developing technologies for the improvement in farming and other related industries. One such innovation is the continuous-type rice hull (CtRH) Carbonizer, a machine for processing rice hull, improving the incomegenerating activities of the farmers while addressing environmental and climate change concerns.

Combined with a highly diversified and integrated ricebased farming system, CtRH’s popularity has been increasing among farmers in the northern Luzon region, and is now catching the attention of other LGUs in exploring its use for other agricultural and livelihood purposes.

Among the beneficiaries of the said technology are rice farmer cooperatives in Nueva Ecija and Bulacan who use the machine in growing mushrooms, which serves as a source of additional income during the months before the harvest season.

“Before, we just used a drum to pasteurize the fruiting bags to plant mushrooms. Although it worked, it was such a slow process. But now that we have a carbonizer which was designed by Dr. Orge, we became more efficient, and our income doubled. We are extremely comforted by this and are grateful to him that we are among those that have been blessed,” said Liwayway Danilo, one of the technology’s beneficiaries.

As this year’s sole awardee, Orge received a trophy titled “The Last Light” which was designed by Ayala Corp. chairman emeritus Jaime Zobel de Ayala; P500,000 and a medal during the awarding ceremony recently held at Seda Vertis North in Quezon City.

During the event, Orge shared that his motivation behind his breakthrough inventions was his father, a simple coconut farmer. He also expressed his gratitude towards the proponents of the award and promised to continue helping farming communities in the country.

“My deepest gratitude to Manila Water Foundation and its partners, the DOST and PTC. I would like to emphasize that by giving me this award, you are honoring the millions of Filipino rice farmers whom we are serving. This award is a constant reminder for me to continue giving my best for our farmers. My achievements are not something which I should boast, but something that I can use and will use to encourage and inspire others. This award comes with a renewed commitment to give and continue giving my best because it is expected of me as a public servant and as a Christian,” he said.