In a ceremonial tasting held at the Department of Agriculture Philippine
Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice) in Mu??oz, Nueva Ecija,
stakeholders including the country's Agriculture Secretary Dr. William
Dar favored "Golden Rice" over ordinary white rice for its health benefits.

"It smells and tastes the same as ordinary rice, except it is colored
yellow. But I will choose �??Golden Rice' over white rice, because it has
more health benefits." said Secretary Dar during the rice-tasting event
as part of the inauguration of the DA's Crops Biotechnology Center (DA-CBC).

Nueva Ecija Representative Micaela S. Violago, an ophthalmologist by
profession, also favors Golden Rice, saying, "Golden Rice is a welcome
development, as its regular consumption would give children more Vitamin
A and therefore clearer eyesight." Also at the tasting event was US
Agricultural Attach?? Ryan Bedford who said he is a fan of Golden Rice
and will feed it to his two daughters.

"Golden Rice" is like ordinary rice but enriched with beta carotene,
which the body converts into vitamin A as needed. The increased
consumption of "Golden Rice" by Filipino families would improve their
dietary and nutritional requirements, said Dr. Marissa Romero, co-lead
of the Healthier Rice Project. The beta-carotene enriched rice has been
approved for commercial propagation by the DA Bureau of Plant Industry
on July 21, 2021.

�??Golden Rice�?� tastes, smells like regular rice, but more nutritious |
Official Portal of the Department of Agriculture (da.gov.ph)
[www.da.gov.ph]