Before a plate of rice reaches the table, it has already passed through many hands. The Be RICEponsible Campaign asks us to remember that story and to be more thoughtful about what we consume and what we leave behind.
Southern Christian College joined the advocacy during its September Monday Morning Devotion on September 7, 2026, at the House of Worship, standing in solidarity with the Be RICEponsible Campaign of the Philippine Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice).
Mr. Michael Ryan Jay R. Calibayan, Science Research Specialist I and Communication and Stakeholder Engagement Officer of PhilRice, who is also an alumnus of SCC, served as the speaker and introduced the campaign to SCC employees. His presentation centered on mindful rice consumption, reducing food waste, and supporting local farmers.
The discussion also gave the SCC community an opportunity to examine rice consumption from a broader perspective. Food waste is connected to how we use resources, while supporting local farmers contributes to a stronger, more sustainable food system.
At the close of the presentation, SCC employees took the Be RICEponsible Pledge, making a collective commitment to practice more responsible rice consumption.
The campaign connects with several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It supports SDG 2: Zero Hunger by promoting awareness of food security and the role of farmers; SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production by encouraging people to reduce food waste; and SDG 13: Climate Action, since preventing food waste can also help reduce the environmental impacts associated with producing and disposing of food.
For SCC, the pledge begins with something familiar: the rice on our plates. Being RICEponsible means knowing its value, taking only what we need, and remembering the farmers whose work makes every meal possible.
