gma unveils first online modules of training series

Sandiwa, September 2001 1

GMA unveilsfirst onlinemodules oftraining series

One heart, one spirit, one family

Published by the International Rice Research Institute/September 2001

[email protected] http://www.cgiar.org/irri/sandiwa.htm

What’s inside?

■ Training and development 2■ Vietnam honors Philippine scientist 3■ IRRI staff in Rotary 4■ Cost savings at IRRI 5■ Organizational chart 6-7■ CIE updates 8■ Dr. Khush celebrates 10■ Riceweb’s 5th Anniversary 11

Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo unveiled the first modules ofthe Rice Production Training series

online during a visit to the institute onThursday, 2 August. After being taught toliterally thousands of rice researchers,government officials, and farmers for almostthree decades, the very first electronicmodules of the series were released thismonth by IRRI.

The ceremony was seen as especiallyappropriate by those who recalled that it wasthe father of President Macapagal-Arroyo,former Philippine President DiosdadoMacapagal, who formally inaugurated IRRI in1962 and so launched the very first RiceProduction training course soon after.

“We were honored to have the presidentperform this simple ceremony,” DirectorGeneral Ronald Cantrell said. “While it was arelatively simple ceremony, the potentialimpact of this training material should beenormous.”

President Arroyo also visited the Interna-tional Rice Genebank and was introduced toseveral of IRRI’s research projects at BlockB14 during her brief visit. As she walked fromBlock B14 to N.C. Brady Laboratory and on toUmali Hall, she was greeted by applauding,picture-snapping groups of IRRI employees. ■

President Arroyo stops by the new plant type exhibit. From left are CGIARTechnical Advisory Committee Chair Dr. Emil Javier; Dr. Glenn Gregorio ofPlant Breeding, Genetics and Biochemistry Division; PhilRice Executive DirectorDr. Leo Sebastian (partly hidden), and the microphone and smile of plant breederDr. Parminder Virk.

PresidentArroyo gleefullyshakes handswith Infor-mation ServicesManager SylviaInciong andCarmen Bernal,a researcher inthe Entomologyand PlantPathologyDivision.

2 Sandiwa, September 2001

Training and developmentBy Ian M. Wallace & William G. Padolina

It’s not what you know but who you know. Remember this one? Perhaps it is time to drop this saying inthe garbage bin. Yes, contacts are very useful, but informa-

tion has become even more important, and everyone in theworkforce should be regularly thinking about upgrading his orher skills and knowledge.

The day when an employee could expect to do the same jobthroughout his or her career has already come to an end. Now,

most members of the workforce shouldplan on changing jobs a number of timesbefore retirement, and each job changewill need some personal re-tooling, asthe old skills may not be what areneeded in the new job.

At IRRI, we need to supporttraining and development so that staffwill have the skills needed to get the jobdone. There are a number of optionsavailable to employees:

• workshops offered by HR Services on a variety of subjects,from customer relations to effective business writing;

• special short courses presented byvarious DCUs, such as defensivedriving sessions offered byTransport and Safety & SecurityServices, or quality assurancecourses presented by the Biomet-rics and Bioinformatics Unit;

• books and videos from the IRRILibrary and similar sources;

• courses offered by UPLB and other universities;• professional visits to see how other organizations manage

certain activities; and• e-courses offered by IT Services (classroom courses will

also soon be available).Every employee should be regularly upgrading his or her

knowledge base and, if possible, branching out into related areas.Multi-tasking and staff versatility are becoming increasinglyhighly valued.

IRRI actively promotes staff development, and this isreflected in the three-part NRS performance evaluation anddevelopment form. Part III, the “employee development actionplan,” is devoted entirely to staff development. In Section A, theemployee lists his or her training activities during the past year,and this constitutes a permanent record of training and develop-ment programs, courses, and so forth, in which the employee hasparticipated. And employees who successfully complete formalcourses and workshops will receive, as part of the record, anofficial certificate. In Section B, the staff member and supervisoridentify what future training is required by the employee, such asexposure to new techniques, computer programs, and the like.Section C is reserved for the action plan in which the employeeand his or her supervisor will indicate, if possible, exactly howand where the training will be provided—a two-day IT Services

course on database management, for example, or watching alibrary video on time management.

Employees and supervisors should work together and usethe NRS performance evaluation and development form to planstaff training activities. We recommend that each employeedevote a minimum of five work days a year to training anddevelopment. At first glance, this may seem like a lot of time, butit isn’t; it’s less than two percent of annual working time.

Staff development is an investment that has repeatedly beenshown to pay big dividends to organizations that place a highvalue on learning and are ready to invest in their staff. IRRI, asone of the leading research and development organizations in thePhilippines, has always recognized the importance of trainingand encourages all staff to make the best of the many learningopportunities available to them.

Remember, it is not so much who you know, but what youknow. ■

Pagsasanay at pagsulongNi Ian M. Wallace at William G. Padolina

H indi ang iyong alam kundi kung sino ang iyong kilala.Natatandaan ba ninyo ito? Siguro, kailangan nangibasura ang kasabihang ito. Oo, ang mga kontak ay

napakahalaga, subali’t ang impormasyon ay labis na naging masmahalaga, at ang bawa’t isa sa mga manggagawa ay dapatisaalang-alang na pag-ibayuhin ang kanilang mga kasanayan atkaalaman.

Ang araw na ang isang empleyado ay umaasanggagampanan niya ang parehong trabaho sa kanyang propesyonhabang panahon ay nagwakas na. Ngayon, karamihan sa mgaempleyado ay dapat magplano ng pagpapalit ng trabaho bago silamagretiro, at ang bawa’t pagbabago ng trabaho aymangangailangan ng mga panibagong kasangkapang personal,sapagka’t ang mga lumang kakayahan ay maaaring di nakakailanganin.

Sa IRRI, kailangang suportahan ang pagsasanay atpagsulong upang ang mga kawani ay magtaglay ng mgakakayahan upang magampanan ang kani-kanilang trabaho. Mayilang mga opsiyon ang magagamit ng mga empleyado:• Workshops na isinasagawa ng HR Services tungkol sa mga

iba’t-ibang paksa, mula customer relations hanggang saepektibong pagsulat-pangkalakalan;

• Espesyal na pangmadaliang kurso na ibinibigay ng iba’t-ibang DCUs, tulad halimbawa ng pagsasanay sadepensibong pagmamaneho na ibinibigay ng Transport andSafety and Security Services, o mga kurso sa qualityassurance na ibinibigay naman ng Biometrics andBioinformatics Unit;

• Mga aklat at video mula sa IRRI Library at mgakahalintulad na pinagkukunan;

• Mga kurso na ibinibigay ng UPLB at iba pang mgapamantasan;

• Mga pangpropesyonal na pagbisita sa ibang mgaorganisasyon upang malaman kung paano pinamamahalaanng mga ito ang ilang mga gawain; at

to page 12. . .


Vietnam honorsPhilippine scientist

The Vietnam Ministry ofAgriculture and Rural Devel-

opment has awarded MoninaEscalada, a specialist in develop-ment communication, with theMedal for Agriculture Develop-ment. This is the first time an IRRIcollaborator from the Philippineshas received such an honor.

Dr. Escalada, a professor at the Visayas State Collegeof Agriculture (ViSCA) in Baybay, Leyte, has beencollaborating with IRRI scientists in the Rice IPM Net-work, introducing new approaches to improve farmers’decisions in the management of insect pests, weeds,rodents, and nutrients. As the theme leader of the network,Dr. Escalada has been a valuable resource person insociological research and survey methods to Vietnamesescientists. She developed the first knowledge, attitude, andpractice (KAP) survey in 1993 that helped identify thepesticide misuse problem in Vietnam. Working with weedscientists from IRRI and Vietnam, she developed the

weedy rice survey to understand howfarmers manage this new problem. Re-cently, she helped scientists from IRRI,Vietnam, and Australia document farmers’KAP in Mekong and the Red River deltas.

Together with Dr. Thu Cuc of CanthoUniversity in 1993, Dr. Escalada intro-duced farmer participatory research (FPR),which became a popular tool of researchand extension in communicating withfarmers. More than 500,000 farmers haveconducted FPR experiments in Vietnam.From 1994 to 1997, she helped develop thestrategic extension campaign to motivate

farmers to reduce early season insecticide use. Thecampaign, initiated in Long An province, spread to otherprovinces, contributing to a 50 percent reduction ininsecticide use. In addition, she trained Vietnamesescientists, conducted numerous focus group discussions,developed the survey instruments, and supervised surveysand data analysis as well.

The Medal for Agricultural Development, which isbestowed only on persons who make outstanding contribu-tions to Vietnam’s agriculture, has been awarded to fourIRRI scientists: Drs. Gurdev Khush, Donald Puckridge,Achim Dobermann, and K.L. Heong. ■

Social Sciences, not CSWS

Dear Editor,Thanks for including my name in your article “Other

new faces” in the July issue, but there seems to be amisprint or misinformation, because it says that I’m aresearcher in Crop, Soil, and Water Sciences. The truth is,I’m a researcher in the Social Sciences, not in CSWS.

Thanks,Wenifredo A. Geraldino

whatsonlosbaños

Dear Friends,Three weeks ago, there was a concert at the Cultural

Center in Manila of one of my favorite choirs, the Philip-pine Madrigal Singers. I couldn’t believe that I’d missed it,and I’m still kicking myself.

Lately, I’d also been kicking around an idea that had todo with that problem, and missing the concert was the laststraw. So, in the interest of all of us who want to get outand see and do neat things, I’ve created a Web site that Ihope will become a running bulletin board of events in andaround Los Baños and Manila, a repository of knowledgelinks to more information.

Please check out http://www.geocities.com/whatsonlosbanos (before or after work, of course), and—even better—contribute!

Yours truly,Barney Caton

Inspiring video

I watched the IRRI video Filling the World’s RiceBowl in July. It really is a must-see (as is DuncanMacintosh’s inspiring speech) for everybody working inIRRI. It gives one a sense of pride knowing that you areworking in an organization whose vision and mission is toalleviate poverty (one way or another, directly or indi-rectly). It is too bad, though, that there are a lot of miscon-ceptions regarding our research. I have to agree withDuncan that it is just a matter of information dissemina-tion. I must admit that before I saw the video, I could notreally defend IRRI whenever someone asked me about theissues aired on national TV (those negative issues I mean).After a lengthy discussion with Dr. Glenn Gregorio aboutthe benefits of rice research, and after Cris Dawinan’sassurance of the safety of our pesticide application (duringour First Aid training), and after watching the video andhearing Mr. Macintosh say some unknown facts aboutIRRI, I can finally say a lot of good things about ourinstitute—and with conviction. And I believe that thesegood things far, far outweigh the bad.

Leonor “Ninay” Herradura (Accounting)

Letters


New York bound

IRRI staff in Rotary program

Three nationally recruited IRRI staff will experiencecultural immersion in the American way of life, while

exploring opportunities for professional growth, asmembers of a Rotary International District 3820 teamvisiting New York from 7 September to 6 October. RotaryInternational is sponsoring their visit under The RotaryFoundation Group Study Exchange pro-gram. The program focuses oninformation technology thisyear.

The IRRI staff areLeonisa “Liza”Almendrala, assistantmanager, GeneralAccounting Office;Doris “Dors” M.Mercado, researcher,Plant Breeding,Genetics and Bio-

The IRRI Safety Services sponsored a one-dayOccupational Safety and Health Seminar for all

division/center/unit deputy safety supervisors on15 August in Umali Hall. The seminar aimed to properlyequip designated unit safety supervisors (USS) withknowledge and skills in occupational safety and health topromote safety in the institute.

Engineer Elmer P. Veluz, an accredited safetyconsultant of the Department of Labor, was the seminarresource person. The seminar discussed hazard identifica-tion and control, fire control, industrial hygiene, andaccident reporting, investigation, and prevention.

The following supervisors will soon participate insafety inspections in their respective units under thesupervision of the Safety Services:

Paulito Oleta, General Accounting; ElybethAlcantara, Materials Management Services; AlfredoReyes, Human Resources Services; Manny Alejar,Visitors and Information Services (VIS); MauroMalabrigo, Library and Documentation Services; RogelioAlfonso, Communication and Publications Services(CPS) 3; Joselito Platon, VIS; Larry Escuadra, Food andHousing Services; Rogelio Quintos, CPS 1 and 2; Bayani

and Ginalyn “Gina” Santos, Web developer and multi-media designer, Communication and Publications Ser-vices.

Ms Almendrala, who will represent the Rotary Club ofWest Bay, holds a degree in business administration,magna cum laude, from the Manuel S. Enverga UniversityFoundation. “I’ll try to implement in IRRI some of thefinancial practices, procedures, and policies that I observein the U.S. during the visit, if they’re applicable,” she says.

Ms Mercado will represent the Rotary Club of Bay.An agriculture graduate from the University of thePhilippines at Los Baños, cum laude, she aims to “contrib-

ute to the pool of scientistsworking for poverty alleviationthrough rice research.”

Ms Santos, representing theRotary Club of Los BañosMakiling, completed computerscience studies at De La SalleUniversity. “I hope to support theRotary Club in its humanitarianmissions and strengthen thepractice of my profession in ourown country,” she says, as a

Perido, Information Technology and TelecommunicationsServices (ITTS); Oscar Garcia, Training Center; RicHernandez, Agricultural Engineering Unit; Jaime Faronilo,Crops, Soils, and Water Sciences (CSWS)-D. L. Umali(DLU), 1st Floor; Teodoro Migo, CSWS-DLU, 2nd Floor;Arnel Sanico, CSWS-Phytotron Annex; Sylvia Villareal,Entomology and Plant Pathology Division (EPPD)-Entomology; Raymond Pamplona, EPPD-Plant Pathology;Alice Bordeos, EPPD-Genetics; Isaias Domingo, EPPD-Greenhouses; Jojo Lapitan, International ProgramsManagement Office (IPMO); Rolando Casumpang, BBU;Benito Romena, Plant Breeding, Genetics and Biochemis-try (PBGB); Bernardo Mercado and Jose Angeles, GeneticResources Center (GRC); Ramil Gutierez, GeographicInformation System (GIS); Joel Reaño, Social SciencesDivision (SSD); Silvino Merca, Seed Health Unit (SHU);Jonathan Abengania, PBGB-GML; Blesilda Albano,PBGB-PMBL; Reynaldo Garcia, PBGB-TCL; Mariel Ong,Analytical Services Laboratory (ASL); Jocelyn Uichanco,CSWS-Soil Micro; Wency Larazo, CSWS-Soil Science;Vivencio Marciano, Experiment Station (ES); LoretoAclan, ES; and Bienvenido Manimtim, ES-CGFU.■

Occupational safety and health seminar for unit safety supervisors

Doris Mercado, Gina Santos, and Liza Almendrala with Rotary Clubof West Bay President Sylvia Inciong.chemistry Division; result of this program. ■


Cost savings at IRRIBy Frisco “Jojo” GuceManager, Materials Management Services

Imagine one big pot that contains all of IRRI’s money—money used to do research, publish findings, attend

conferences, meet donors, pay salaries, train people, payutilities, buy equipment, buy supplies, buy trainingmaterials, etc. It would be good if the amount of money atleast stays the same. It would bemuch better if it grows, to settleall the obligations of theinstitute. What if the amountdwindles? Which of the abovewill go? What would be thelikely combination? Moreresearch, fewer jobs?

Before our bosses face sucha difficult choice, we at Materi-als Management Services (MMS) would like to do ourshare. We hope to start something small in the hope thateveryone in the institute will contribute in his or her ownway and make it big.

We are aware that, to be successful, we will need allthe support and cooperation we can get. At this point,MMS believes that the following ideas are worth lookinginto.

1. Turning to more cost-effective alternatives for thoseitems that are not “mission critical” to IRRI’s opera-tion, such as ballpoint pens, pencils, letter envelopes,bond paper, scissors, plastic folders, etc.

2. Standardizing items to improve our bargainingleverage with suppliers, such as laboratorydisposables like pipet units, pipet tips, microcentrifugetubes, white tips, plates, kimwipes, etc.

3. Coming up with a list of allowable office supplies. It’sprobably a good time to ask ourselves whether wereally need memo pads (given our current e-mailcapability), or several sizes of Post-it notes thatcomplicate our lives with deciding which size to use,or special multi-colored markers so we can see wherewe’re supposed to sign, or mechanical pencils insteadof ordinary Mongol pencils.

4. Phasing out stock items such as first class mailenvelope size 9×12 and 10×13; transparency filmclear IR 1120, Devcon 2-ton bond, etc.

5. Consolidating all the Metro Manila trips that Purchas-ing and Shipping people make, to reduce the fre-quency and save on gasoline, miscellaneous expenses,vehicle wear and tear, etc.

6. MMS handling all gas cylinder refills at CIGI.7. And, last but not least, a review of IRRI’s existing

arrangements with service providers such as freightmovers and brokers.We welcome all suggestions. ■

Rotary Club of Los BañosMakiling launchesOperation Lingap

The Rotary Club of Los Baños Makiling (RCLBMakiling) appeals to the generosity and compassion

of IRRI staff, asking that they extend assistance urgentlyneeded by displaced farm families near Mt. Mayon. Therecent eruptions of Mayon Volcano have displacedthousands of farmers and their families, destroying homes,crops, and livelihoods. The rains have worsened thesituation because of lahar flows. RCLB Makiling hasorganized a collection drive in coordination with theRotary Club of Tabaco-Mayon, Albay, for blankets, food,used clothes and shoes, medicines, seeds, and cash for theevacuees.

The Rotary Club of Tabaco-Mayon reports that theevacuees are in dire need of food, blankets, and medicines(analgesics and paracetamols for cough and colds, diar-rhea, allergies). Contributions in kind or cash will behighly appreciated.

The club recently took a van load of food and materialdonations—including vegetable seeds, blankets, towels,used clothes, basic necessities, toys, and reading materi-

als—to about 165 families from Barangay Magapo nowcrammed into 14 classrooms of the San Antonio Elemen-tary School in Barangay San Antonio, Tabaco, Albay. Ablanket separates each family’s living area from others’.The school serves as one of the permanent evacuationcenters for the thousands of farm families displaced by theeruptions. Barangay Magapo is within a 5.5-km radius ofthe crater and is classified as a permanent danger zone. Forthe time being, these families cannot return to the slopes ofthe volcano to farm. As a long-term and sustainablesolution to economic problems of these families, RCLBMakiling has approached various seed companies toprovide the farmers with seeds of vegetables and otherfood crops for planting.

This collection drive launches RCLB Makiling’squick-response relief project called Operation Lingap(lingap means “care” in Filipino) for victims of naturalcalamities. Drop-offs can be coordinated with any of thefollowing Rotarians: Cora Villareal (Collegeville), LyndaRebugio (Makiling Botanic Gardens, Forestry), AydsAdalla (Office of Student Affairs, UPLB), Cel Cadiz(College of Development Communication, UPLB), andKatherine Lopez (CPS, IRRI; local 703). You may callCora Villareal at 536-3656/0919-246-1802 or any Rotarianfor information and coordination. The drop box for IRRI ison the first floor of CPS1 Building. ■


IRRI Organizational Structure (September 2001)

Deputy Director Generalfor Partnerships

W. Padolina

Board of Trustees

Director GeneralR. Cantrell

Deputy Director Generalfor Research

R. Wang

Communication andPublications Services

G. Hettel

Genetic Resources CenterE. Javier, acting

International ProgramsManagement Office

M. Bell

Intellectual PropertyManagement Unit

T. Wai

Information Technology andTelecommunications Services

P. O’Nolan

Visitors andInformation Services

D. Macintosh

CENTERS SERVICES/UNITS/OFFICES

Seed Health UnitT. Mew

Partnerships DevelopmentOffice

D. Ingles

Training CenterP. Marcotte

Library andDocumentation Service

M. Ramos

RESEARCH PROGRAMS DIVISION/

Program 1Genetic Resources

Conservation, Evaluation, andGene Discovery

D. Mackill

Program 2Enhancing Productivity andSustainability of Favorable

EnvironmentsJ. Hill

Program 3Improving Productivity and

Livelihood for FragileEnvironments

T. Mew

Program 4Strengthening LinkagesBetween Research and

DevelopmentM. Hossain

C

A

En


Director for FinanceG. MacNeil

Director for Administrationand Human Resources

I. Wallace

Budget OfficeM. Aquino

Financial Systems OfficeM. Ocampo

General AccountingL. Dagdag

Human Resources ServicesEmployee Relations

vacant

Food and Housing ServicesM. Jolejole

Human Resources ServicesInternational Staff

S. Ocampo and N. Reyes

Human Resources ServicesNational Staff

F. Aglipay

Legal ServicesW. Gloria

Makati OfficeA. Valintos

Central Registry ServicesR. Ballesfin

Materials Management ServicesF. Guce

Physical Plant ServicesD. Avila

TreasuryE. Panes

Internal Audit

Safety and Security ServicesG. Enriquez

Transport ServicesM. Vergara

/UNITS/SUPPORT SERVICES

rop, Soil, and Water SciencesJ. Hill

Analytical Service LaboratoriesB. Mandac

Climate UnitJ. Sheehy

Social SciencesM. Hossain

ntomology and Plant PathologyT. Mew

Agricultural Engineering UnitJ. Rickman

Experiment StationJ. Rickman and A. Manza

Biometrics andBioinformatics Unit

C. McLaren

Plant Breeding, Genetics, andBiochemistryD. Mackill

Director for Program Planningand Coordination

M. Jackson


This year, health and medical coverage for IRRIemployees rose from P100,000 to P150,000; morethan 220 staff members benefited from a defensive

driving course for authorized institute drivers and inter-ested staff; food services and sanitation in all threecafeterias are being monitored even as you read this; andelectronic copies of the various personnel manuals—including transport guidelines, sexual harassment policy,and personnel policies—are now available to all staff withaccess to the institute’s electronic network.

These are some of the notable improvements inemployee benefits and privileges that the Council of IRRIEmployees (CIE) has helped to implement in coordinationwith IRRI management this year.

Part 1 of a two-part series. In the October issue ofSandiwa, read about the people behind CIE in Knowyour organizations: Meet your CIE representatives.

What is the CIE and what does it do? CIE is theumbrella organization that serves as the main channel ofcommunication between nationally recruited staff (NRS)and IRRI management. It recommends proposals andnegotiates with management to address important issuesand concerns that affect the general welfare of instituteemployees. It is composed of elected representatives ofsectoral organizations such as the Association of IRRIResearch Support Staff (AIRESS), Association of IRRISecretaries and Administrative Staff (AISAS), Society ofIRRI Nonresearch Professionals (SINoP), and the IRRIFilipino Scientists Association (IFSA).

An umbrella organization that speaks for instituteemployees has been around since 1979. It was originallyknown as the Council of IRRI Employees and Manage-ment (CIEM). In 1997, representatives from employeesectors and management, assisted by representatives of theDepartment of Labor and Employment, met in a resort inSariaya, Quezon, to work on the new constitution and by-laws (CBL) of what came to be known as the Council ofIRRI Employees. The new CBL was ratified by 81 percentof the 810 NRS in March 1998 and took effect immedi-ately. This marked the end of CIEM and paved the way forCIE to become the all-embracing conduit between NRSand management.

CIE aims to improve employee-management relationsand establish cooperation among the various sectoralorganizations in such diverse areas of concerns as profes-sional growth, living wage and fringe benefits, workinghabits, job classification and monitoring, food services,health, safety and sanitation in the workplace, social andcivic development and concerns, and other related issues.It does these by 1) recommending proposals or resolutionsto management on legitimate concerns and 2) negotiating

Know your organizations: CIE updatesby Ato Reaño and Kathy Lopez

with management through the Employee RelationsCommittee. The creation of Employee Relations Servicesand the hiring of an employee relations manager this yearattest to management’s concern for the needs of employeesand its commitment to improve the quality of their livesand working environment.

CIE is not highly visible because it works mostlybehind the scenes. Initial discussions and negotiations withmanagement and employee sector organizations happen inmeeting rooms and boardrooms. And only when improve-ments or new developments in employee welfare andbenefits become apparent through approved resolutionsand memorandums does it become known that an organi-zation like CIE, with the support of management, is afterall doing something for institute employees.

This year, some of the employee concerns that thecurrent CIE officers have worked on, in cooperation withpast CIE representatives and institute management, are:

1. Health and medical benefits• CIE requested an increase in maximum coverage from

our health care maintenance organization (HMO). Asa result, three health care carriers presented proposalson a benefits package with the required premiums foradditional coverage.

• CIE undertook a survey to determine whether employ-ees will agree to pay a higher premium to get addi-tional coverage.

• The HR committee on HMO assessed the providers,benefits and added premiums proposed, and came upwith P150,000 for a minimum additional premium ofP80 per member per year.

• CIE also requested that Philamcare, through HumanResources Services, conduct a reorientation seminarand discussion for employees so they can betterunderstand the coverage of the medical insurancepolicy.

2. Transport issues• An IRRI authorized driver, who had been penalized

because of an accident, forwarded a copy of the lettersent to him by HRS and sought clarification aboutprotection of authorized drivers. Based on this, CIErequested that a clear policy and guidelines beestablished to allow authorized drivers to know theirresponsibilities, rights, and privileges.

• To avoid future accidents, CIE requested a workshopon transport guidelines and driving. The result: acourse on defensive driving for all authorized driversand interested employees, which Transport Servicesand Safety and Security Services offered from June toAugust. The course included lectures and practicalexercises on defensive driving. More than 220


employees took part in the course, which we hope willresult in safer streets at IRRI and outside.

• Administration has posted a copy of the transportguidelines in the public folders [Public Folder\IRRI\D/C/Us\DAHR\Transport Services\Manuals]. CIE isrequesting that this set of guidelines be included in theManual of Personnel Policies and Procedures.

3. Personnel policies and procedures• The draft of the Manual of Personnel Policies and

Procedures was reviewed by CIE’s current and pastchairpersons, HRS managers, HR specialists on policyand salary administration, and Legal Services. Thereview also covered the proposed Code of Discipline,which contains everything related to employeediscipline. CIE proposed that the code be made aseparate document.

• The volume has been edited and has undergoneanother round of review. Administration has posted anelectronic copy of the manual in the public folders[Public Folder\IRRI\D/C/Us\DAHR\HumanResources Services(HRS)\HRS - National Staff].

4. Retirement savings plan• CIE also conducted an inquiry on the status of the

retirement savings plan (RSP) fund; as a result, theRSP Committee invited the Equitable PCI Bank, TrustDepartment to make a report for employees.

• CIE also followed up the RSP Handbook for employ-ees, which is intended to provide NRS staff with moreinformation so they can better understand the RSPfund. A draft was shown to CIE representatives forcomments and is still being revised and edited.

• CIE also requested through HRS that Miravite, thecompany managing our fund, conduct another seminarand open forum to address employees’ concerns onthe RSP. This will be scheduled sometime this month.

5. Infrastructure concernsWaiting shed at the Open University Gate• When access from Tabon gate was transferred to UP

Open University, CIE proposed to Ian Wallace that ashelter be constructed there. Mr. Wallace agreed andinstructed Glenn Enriquez and Dong Avila to draw upplans. Although approved in April, construction hasyet to start due to unavoidable delays. The plan wasreviewed by UPLB and UP Open U, and modifica-tions had to be made before bidding for the projectcould be scheduled. Then IRRI had to delay construc-tion until after the 25 August turnover and investitureceremony of the new chancellor of Open U.

Sidewalk to Open U• Realizing the risk posed to pedestrians walking to and

from the UP Open U gate, CIE requested that adminis-tration lay a concrete sidewalk. A series of discussionsensued, resulting in a lower cost compromise that

called for filling and leveling a grass walk beside theroad. Work is expected to start this month.

CIE and associations’ office• The need for a common office for different organiza-

tions and CIE has been recognized since 1999. Theoffice will serve as a meeting place and repository ofthe files, documents, and materials of the variousorganizations, to facilitate turnover. CIE had earlierrequested office space, and this was granted byAdministration. A room at Bradfield Building,adjacent to Safety and Security Services and theclinic, has been designated the CIE and associations’office. Some improvements are required before theoffice can be used, but this is not expected to takelong.

6. Committee involvement of CIE representativesChairperson: member of the RSP Committee, Committee

to review Personnel Policy and the Code of Discipline,Committee to investigate and assess accidents, FoodMonitoring Committee, Professional Growth Commit-tee, Health and Medical Committee, Job ClassificationCommittee.

Vice chairperson (professional): Professional GrowthCommittee.

Vice chairperson (support): Health and Medical Commit-tee.

Heads of organizations: Food Monitoring Committee. ■

Exhilarating experienceFrances Tesoro, secretary 2 in Visitors and InformationServices, became an instant celebrity when she played the roleof President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo during a dry run inpreparation for the latter’s visit to IRRI on 2 August. Thedirector general, Dr. Ronald P. Cantrell, is shown walking withPresident Tesoro. Representatives from the PresidentialManagement Staff and Presidential Security Group observedevery detail of the dry run. “The experience was exhilarating,”Frances said.


I t was one of those activities penciled in by hissecretary, Nelly de los Reyes, in his appointment book

on 22 August. It said “PBGB IRS meeting, 2:30 PM,ARBN lecture room.”

Somewhere, assistant scientist Varoy Pamplona wasready with his handheld two-way radio to inform everyonewhere his boss would pass on his way to the meeting.

“What is this?” Dr. Gurdev Khush asked Nelly whenthe door of the dark lecture room opened. All of a sudden,the lights came on, and everyone in the room sang “Happy

Dr. Khush strides into the ARBN lecture room for a surprise birthday party in his honor.

Khush celebrates his last birthday at IRRI

Sylvia Inciong, Information Services manager inVisitors and Information Services (VIS), was sworn in

as the new president of the Rotary Club of West Bay(RCWB) by DistrictGovernor Jimmy Hao ofRotary InternationalDistrict 3820. CharterPresident Tom Clemeno,who is also ExperimentStation servicesmanager, is shown hereturning over the Rotarybell and gavel to Mrs.Inciong during induc-tion ceremonies held on21 July at the SplashMountain Resort in LosBaños, Laguna.

Most RCWBofficers and members are IRRI staff, including Johnny F.Goloyugo, secretary/vice president, VIS; Bernie Mandac,treasurer, Analytical Services Laboratory; Rogelio

Rosales, director, and Madeline Quiamco, public relationsofficer, Training Center; Leodegario Ebron, director, andJose Roxas, auditor, Plant Breeding, Genetics and Bio-

chemistry Division (PBGB);and Alvaro Pamplona,member, PBGB.

This year, RCWB issponsoring a presentation-skills seminar for teachers,as well as oratorical andimpromptu speech contestson the theme “Mankind IsOur Business.” It will alsohost an intercity Rotarydistrict meeting. In addition,the club is donating books tothe University of thePhilippines Rural HighSchool, Los Baños School

of Science and Technology, Bitin National High School,Masaya National High School, and Jehovah ShammahChristian Community School, all in Bay, Laguna. ■

Information Services manager is Rotary president

Birthday to You.” Pancit, lumpiang gulay, cake, ice cream,and balloons abounded in the room. It was a surprise partytendered by Plant Breeding, Genetics, and Biochemistrystaff for the man recognized as one of the world’s leadingplant breeders.

“I love you all,” a grinning Dr. Khush said.For the World Food Prize laureate, acknowledged as

one of the fathers of the Green Revolution, the partyindeed came as a surprise.

“I appreciated the love of my colleagues in giving methe party onmy 66thbirthday,which will bemy lastcelebrationhere at IRRI,”Dr. Khush toldSandiwa.

Dr. Khushretires thisyear as IRRI’sprincipal plantbreeder, after34 years ofservice. ■


R iceweb, IRRI’s popular and highly recognizedInternet site, celebrates its 5th anniversary on 25

September. Originally conceived as the electronic versionof the Rice Almanac publication, the site has expandedover the years to become a hub for linking interesting andfar-flung rice-related sites worldwide.

IRRI firms up local ties

Dr. Ronald P. Cantrell, IRRI director general, paidcourtesy calls on Los Baños Mayor Caesar Perez and

Bay Mayor Edwin Ramos early last month. DeputyDirector General for Partnerships William Padolina,Visitors and Information Services (VIS) Head DuncanMacintosh, and VIS Manager Sylvia Inciong accompaniedDr. Cantrell.

The meetings reaffirmed IRRI’s ties with its neigh-boring municipalities and ensured continuing mutualsupport in undertaking community development projectsthat benefit low-income barangay residents. Dr. Cantrellpresented both mayors with kits containing IRRI’s 2000-2001 annual report, as well as Morphology of the RicePlant rice-production training modules in CD ROMformat.

Mayor Perez and his predecessor, Frank Lapis, areformer IRRI employees with combined service of morethan three decades. Mayor Perez joined the institute in1972 as an emergency laborer and was promoted to full-fledged laborer the following year. From 1980 to 1989, heserved as a field aide with the Entomology Division.

Former Mayor Lapis started at IRRI in 1962, also asan emergency laborer. He was an accounting clerk from1963 to 1968 and served as chief supply clerk with theGeneral Supply Room from 1969 to 1976 and as adminis-trative assistant in the Purchasing and Shipping Officefrom 1976 to 1978.

IRRI has been instrumental in assisting in the devel-opment programs of communities that surround itsheadquarters in Los Baños through the IRRI-Neighbor-hood Community Development Project (INCDP) since

1996, using funds from the German Agency for TechnicalCooperation (GTZ).

The project aims to help communities around IRRIbecome more self-reliant and sustainable by assisting withlivelihood projects and motivating residents to be produc-tive community members. Among the projects supportedby INCDP are ornamental plant nurseries, stuffed toymaking, meat processing, the construction of communalseptic tank, and the provision of a small-scale water systemfor Tranca in Bay.

Both IRRI and the municipality of Los Baños are keyplayers in the Los Baños Science Community, whose mainfunction is to promote technological and social change anddevelopment in rural communities.

The institute also welcomed the proclamation of LosBaños as a special Science and Nature City during the termof former Mayor Lapis. ■

Dow Jones, USA Today, and New Scientist haveacclaimed Riceweb (www.riceweb.org) to be an outstand-ing educational site and have cross-linked to it. Links tovarious rice recipe sites have been particularly popularwith users. Recently established links have ranged indiversity from Ducks Unlimited (www.ducks.org/conser-vation/rice.asp), demonstrating the U.S. rice industry’sinterest in providing wildlife habitat, to the WashingtonPost (wpni01.auroraquanta.com/pv/rice), featuring abreathtaking array of rice photos exhibited by NationalGeographic photographer Robb Kendrick.

IRRI’s sister centers WARDA and CIAT have alsomade significant contributions to the site, and they arebeing joined by the FAO in contributing new informationand materials for a major revamp of Riceweb. Thiscoincides with preparation of the 3rd edition of the RiceAlmanac, scheduled for release in January 2002. ■

Riceweb’s 5th anniversary


Community bulletin board

Use the Community Bulletin Board to publicizean event, make an announcement, send personal

greetings, buy and sell. Please submit your notice nolater than a week before the end of the month, toappear in the following month’s Sandiwa. [email protected] or call Johnny Goloyugo(x6824) or Peter Fredenburg (x401).

HR Services (National Staff) training plan

Date Objectives Training Workshop Title Target Participants

25-27 Sep Personnel Strengthening Personnel Effectiveness 20 NRS in job levels 5, 6 and 7and Interpersonal Effectiveness

4 Oct Service Excellence Orientation Program New hires17-18 Oct Communication Effective Presentation Workshop 25 NRS in job levels 4, 5 and 613-14 Nov Communication Effective Business Writing 75 NRS (25 per workshop schedule)15-16 Nov20-21 Nov

Program Review, 21-23 Nov

The Institute Program Review, originally sched-uled for 14-16 November, has been moved to 21-23 November. There is a travel ban for all IRSstationed in Los Baños on these dates to ensure theparticipation of everyone in the review.

The main agenda of the review will include anoverview of each program conducted by theprogram leaders; reports by each of the projectteam leaders on progress to date, problems, and abrief outline of plans for 2002; and discussions ofstaff on the progress and gaps in research andimpact in the implementation of programs/projectsand other important issues.

Driver’s license renewalThose whose IRRI drivers’ permits will expire between 30September and 16 October are advised to renew them on21 September. They are Carmelo O. Garcia, Lino M.Carandang, Wenceslao C. Alimagno, Douglas D. Avila,Romulo R. Quilantang, Ricardo S. Catangay, Rosario T.Lubigan, Rolando R. Pacion, Narciso V. Malabanan,Edgardo T. Diaz, Sulpicio J. Malabanan, Normita M. delaCruz, George Douglas Gray, Edwin Lopez Javier, ReenaBakker Dhaliwal, John Sheehy, Duncan Macintosh, andSushil Pandey. The required form for requesting licenserenewal is available through Microsoft Outlook. Thosewho want to check the availability of their driver’s licensecard can send their temporary driver’s license to TransportServices or call Lito Cabral at extension 230. ■

• Mga e-courses na ibinibigay ng IT Services (magkakaroonna ng classroom courses sa madaling panahon).Kinakailangang regular na pinag-iibayo ng mga empleyado

ang pundasyon ng kanilang kaalaman at, kung kinakailangan,magtungo sa kaugnay na larangan. Pinahahalagahan na ngayonang mga iba’t-ibang kakayahan sa gawain (multi-tasking) atkagalingan sa iba’t-ibang bagay.

Ang IRRI ay aktibong nagtataguyod ng pagsulong ng mgakawani, at ito ay makikita sa tatlong-bahaging NRS performanceevaluation and development form. Ang kabuuan ng Part III, ang“employee development action plan,” ay nakalaan sa pagsulongng mga tauhan. Sa Section A, inililista ng empleyado angsinalihan niyang mga gawaing pagsasanay sa nakalipas na taon,at ito ay nagiging bahagi ng permanenteng talaan ng kanyangpagsasanay at pagsulong. Bilang bahagi ng kanyang rekord, angmga kawani na matagumpay na nakumpleto ang mga pormal nakurso at workshops ay pagkakalooban ng opisyal na sertipiko namagiging bahagi naman ng kanyang rekord. Sa Section B,inaalam ng empleyado at superbaysor kung anong pagsasanayang kakailanganin ng nauna, tulad ng pag-aaral sa mgamakabagong pamamaraan, programa sa computer, at iba pa. AngSection C naman ay nakalaan sa mga action plan na kung saanitatala ng empleyado at superbaysor, kung maaari, kung paano atsaan ibibigay ang pagsasanay—tulad ng dalawang araw na kursong IT Services tungkol sa database management, halimbawa, oang panonood ng video sa aklatan tungkol sa pangangasiwa ngoras.

Kinakailangang magsamang magtrabaho ang mgaempleyado at mga superbaysor at gamitin ang NRS performanceevaluation and development form upang magplano ng mgagawaing pagsasanay para sa mga tauhan. Iminumungkahinaming bawa’t empleyado ay maglaan ng limang araw bawa’ttaon para sa pagsasanay at pagsulong. Sa unang tingin, ito aymahabang panahon, subali’t hindi; ito ay kulang sa dalawangporsyento sa pantaunang oras ng trabaho.

Ang pagsulong ng mga kawani ay isang puhunan na paulit-ulit na nagbibigay ng malaking dibidendo sa mga organisasyonna nagbibigay ng mataas na pagpapahalaga sa karunungan athandang mamuhunan sa mga kawani. Ang IRRI, bilang isa samga pangunahing organisasyon sa pananaliksik at pagsulong saPilipinas, ay palagiang kinikilala ang kahalagahan ng pagsasanayat humihimok sa lahat ng kawani upang samantalahin nila angmga magagandang pagkakataon sa mga pagsasanay na laan sakanila.

Tandaan, hindi gaanong mahalaga kung sino ang iyongkakilala, kundi ano ang iyong kaalaman. ■

Pagsasanay at pagsulong from page 2. . .

gma unveils first online modules of training series

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