TILAH SEED CENTER

Agricutural Seed Center inScience City of Munoz, Nueva Ecija

Reported by:

Richmond Bill AgaraoRaven Jorge F. DonesDevin Carl P. SagunPrince Edward Sabbaluca

Seed growing in Bgy. Maligaya, Science City of Munoz, Nueva Ecija was a small business participated only by a small group of people. In fact, during the 1970′s, there were only eighteen certified seed growers in the area. The selling of seeds then was solely home-based and was limited to the produce of the seed grower and his immediate family members. It was only during 1995, when Ricardo ‘Tilah’ E. Magdangal, an agricultural engineer, trained on seed growing, that this industry was developed. He and his wife, Gloria, already owned 6 hectares of farm used mainly for rice production. However, they thought of something bigger and better.

Rapid growth of TSC and the inbred seed industry

When Tilah Magdangal won as barangay captain in 1997, it was then that seed growing evolved into a competitive industry. He envisioned that his barangay, will be the central market or rice seeds capital of the Philippines. Hence, he introduced the business to his fellow ka-barangay and the neighboring municipalities with the main objective of increasing their quality of life. During his time, to be an accredited seed grower, one had to go through training in seed production and had to comply with high requirements such as having three hectares of farmland, one’s own thresher, solar dryer, and a warehouse. Kapitan Tilah’s conviction was that farmers in his province should also be allowed to be seed growers, as long as they undergo training, to increase their quality of life. After series of dialogues, Kapt. Tilah convinced PhilRice authorities, to allow farmers to undergo training and to reduce the requirements needed to become seed growers.

History cannot deny the success of this legacy under Tilah Magdangal’s governance. In fact, he was recognized and awarded by several leadership organizations in the country because of this success. The visible manifestation? One cannot pass through Brgy. Maligaya and its neighboring areas without noticing numerous seed centers owned and managed by the seed growers who has gained knowledge and inspiration from Kapt.Tilah’s entrepreneurship and leadership. Now, from only 18, there are more than 500 seed growers in Nueva Ecija alone.

Escalating demand for Tilah Seeds

Tilah seed center has indeed flourished into an extensive enterprise. At present, the company has provided employment opportunities to 80 staff and personnel and has gained wide-ranging clients from more than 30 provinces from Luzon to Mindanao. The clientele consists of both government and private sectors, individuals, cooperatives, other seed dealers, agricultural supplies enterprises, foreign research institutions, and the United Nations. TSC also has fostered 23 exclusive dealers in regions 1, 2, and 3; distributing not less than 50,000 bags of rice seeds each season.

The burgeoning demand for Tilah Seeds has also opened opportunities for seed growers who don’t have their own seed centers. TSC engaged them in contract growing to provide a market for their produce and provide financial and technical assistance in the seed production. To date, TSC has more than 150 contract growers operating in over 500 hectares, throughout region 3. Truly, the vision of Tilah Magdangal for the industry is now culminating.

Tilah Seeds Center – Here and Now

Today, TSC not only expands its operations but also deepens the interrelationship among its linkages, partners, and clientele – promoting symbiosis. This is done while continuously constructing effective and efficient management systems geared towards the sustainable progress of the Philippine rice seed industry for the benefit of the Filipino farmers and their families and all rice-nurtured human beings of the world, today, and in the years to come.

INBRED SEEDS

The use of quality rice seeds is the most fundamental cultural practice on which other technologies (geared towards rice self-sufficiency) are based. Certified seeds can contribute to as much as 10% increase in grain yield, especially when properly managed. Adopting all the recommended cultural practices in rice production would be meaningless if these are not complemented with the use of appropriate and high quality seeds.

[Department of Agriculture. Rice Self-Sufficiency Master Plan 2009-2010]

HYBRID SEEDS

Seed Company Variety

SL AGRITECH Corporation SL8 (5 kg. or 18kg.)

PIONEER Hi-Bred Philippines, Inc. Pioneer -Rice (3 kg. or 5kg.)Pioneer -Corn (10.3 kg.)

SYNGENTA Philippines, Inc.Malakas 1 (5kg.)NK6401 (5kg.)NK5017 (5 kg.)

FARM INPUTS

FERTILIZERS

• The operator or business owner– Ricardo ‘Tilah’ E. Magdangal, an agricultural

engineer together with his wife Gloria

• The nature of business– Agricultural - Seed Production

• The business started– Year 1995

• The Problem encoutered and how it was solve.

– Pest, Low Market demand – Good Management and Vision to seed center

• Tips to be adopted– Know the ABC of the business– Good relationship with the workers

• The SWOT of business– Partnership with PhilRice and other

agencies– Location and branches– Agricutural Province– Competitors

• Recommendation– The Tilah Seed Center should conceptualize

better marketing strategies.– The Tilah Seed Center should minimize the

branches within the Nueva Ecija and start establishing one in every province within island of Luzon.

– The Tilah Seed Centershall continue the good

relationship with the

community.

Awards and Recognition

Engr. Ricardo E. Magdangal

Leadership Organization of the Philippines, Inc.MOST OUTSTANDING CERTIFIED SEED PRODUCERS AND EXEMPLARYBUSINESS MAN OF THE YEAREXCELLENCE PUBLIC SERVICE AWARD 2009February 15, 2009 at Roma Salon, Manila Hotel, ManilaCLSU Engineering Alumni Assoc.OUTSTANDING ENGINEERING ALUMNI ACHIEVER AWARDFebruary 3, 2006 at Central Luzon State UniversityFederation of Filipino Consumers, IncMOST OUTSTANDING BARANGAY CAPTAINGINTONG SIKAP AWARDFebruary 25, 2001 at Manila HotelPhilippine Experimental and Educational Research Society Inc.GOLDEN LEADERSHIP NATIONAL AWARDApril 1, 2001 at Manila HotelDevelopment of Filipino YouthMOST OUTSTANDING BARANGAY CAPTAINKAGITINGAN AWARD 2001April 9, 2001 (Bataan Day Celebration) at Jadevine Executive House, ermita, Manila

Awards and Recognition

Federation of Filipino Consumers, Inc.MOST OUTSTANDING BARANGAY CAPTAIN CONSUMERS SERVICE AWARD 2001October 6, 2001 at Hotel La Corona, ManilaFil-Asia Research Society, Inc.NATIONAL GOLDEN SERVICE AWARDOctober 7, 2001 at Jadevine Executive House, ManilaChild Assistance and Rehabilitation Entity, Inc.12 OUTSTANDING PERSONALITIES OF THE YEARNovember 25, 2001 at Kowloon House, Quezon CityAndres Bonifacio Exemplary Achievement AwardMOST OUTSTANDING BARANGAY CAPTAINNovember 30, 2001 at Jadevine Executive House, ManilaPhilippine Outreach Youth Self-help Project, Inc.GOLDEN HARVEST ACHIEVEMENT AWARDSeptember 9, 2001 at Manila Hotel12 OUTSTANDING PERSONALITIES OF THE YEAR GOLDEN HARVEST ACHIEVEMENT AWARDJanuary 27, 2002 at Bayview Park HotelMedia Writers Research for Community Deveopment and Progress Inc.LEADERSHIP FOR PROGRESS AWARDMarch 16, 2002 at the Manila HotelFil-Asia Research Society, Inc.NATIONAL GOLDEN SERVICE AWARDOctober 7, 2001 at Jadevine Executive House, Manila

Mrs. Gloria G. Magdangal, R.N.

Child Assistance and Rehabilitation Entity (CARE), Inc.MODEL MOTHER OF THE YEAR 2002Bayview Park Hotel, Manila

Reference

Ricardo ‘Tilah’ E. MagdangalGloria Magdangal

1. www.tilahseedcenter.com

2. http://balita.ph/2015/02/08/nueva-ecijas-pioneering-seed-producer-conferred-clsus-gintong-butil-award/