The Philippine government’s satellite rice monitoring system has won one of the country’s highest civil service honors for helping ensure food supply and improve crop monitoring nationwide.

A government-based satellite system that tracks rice planting, harvest forecasts, and crop damage nationwide has earned one of the country’s highest public service honors for helping ensure food supply.

The Philippine Rice Information System (PRiSM), a multi-agency platform that produces near-real-time rice data using satellites and field validation, was recently named Gawad Lingkod Bayan ng Pangulo awardee during the 2025 Pagpupugay ceremony at the Malacañang Palace.

Recognized as the first satellite-based rice monitoring system in Southeast Asia, PRiSM helps policymakers pinpoint where rice is planted, assess crop growth, and estimate harvests. By operating even during typhoons or in hard-to-reach areas, the system reduces dependence on slow and costly field surveys.

Project records show that PRiSM maps allow local government unit officials to detect drought, flooding, and damaged rice areas early, supporting faster response and better planning for rice supply.

The data is also used by the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation for insurance validation and by planners at the National Economic and Development Authority and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas for economic analysis.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Statistics Authority uses it to cross-check agricultural figures. The system also works with space and science agencies on drought monitoring and digital mapping and its data has been used in studies tracking the conversion of rice land to urban use. It combines satellite analysis with nationwide field validation and processes hundreds of data requests each year.

Project lead Dr. Eduardo Jimmy P. Quilang, who attended the ceremony with team members Jovino L. de Dios, Sonia L. Asilo, Engr. Elmer D. Alosnos, and Mary Rose O. Mabalay, thanked partner agencies and field teams, calling the recognition “a booster” for continued collaboration in improving agricultural services.

PRiSM’s development has involved support from the National Rice Program, DA-Bureau of Agricultural Research, the International Rice Research Institute, sarmap SA, and Department of Agriculture regional field offices.

Written By Philippine Rice Research Institute