From the battlefield to the rice field
I arrived in Manila on Aug. 13 to begin my mission as Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the Philippines. The very next morning, I paid my respects at the Korean War Memorial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, bowing my head to honor the people whose bravery and sacrifice helped ensure that the free, prosperous and democratic Korea I have known all my life could exist at all.
That sense of indebted gratitude is engraved into the collective memory of the Korean people. We know the story of the 7,420 Filipino soldiers who crossed the ocean to answer Korea’s urgent call during its darkest hour. Far from their families, the members of the Philippine Expeditionary Forces to Korea (PEFTOK) fought to defend a people they did not know, in a foreign land with a different language and four seasons.
That same spirit of solidarity led me to Los Baños, Laguna. On Aug. 20, I visited the University of the Philippines-Los Baños (UPLB) and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) to inspect the Agricultural Genomics Research Center (AGRC), which is scheduled to open on Sept. 21, 2026.
At first glance, a modern agricultural research center may seem a world away from the solemn fields of war. Yet, they both tell the story of two countries whose nearly 80 years of friendship has been shaped by hardship, gratitude and a determination to build a better future.
While Korea and the Philippines today celebrate thriving bonds in trade, culture and defense cooperation, one of the most consequential chapters of our brotherhood unfolded in rice paddies in Los Baños, Laguna.
When IRRI was established in 1960, its mission was to wage war on Asian hunger. Six years later came IR8, the “Miracle Rice” that helped launch the Green Revolution and dramatically raise rice yields across Asia.
Korea was among the beneficiaries, and eventually a partner in that scientific revolution. In the 1960s, Korean scientist Mun-Hue Heu worked at IRRI toward the development of the hybrid rice line that became Tong-il or “Reunification Rice.” Officially deployed in Korea by 1972, this variety, mass-produced through an IRRI-Rural Development Administration collaboration, helped transform Korea from a rice importer into a self-sufficient producer by the late 1970s.
We owe our survival to Filipino valor; we owe our post-war sustenance, in no small part, to Filipino soil. This bit of history gives the AGRC a significance far beyond its location on the UPLB campus.
The project, formally titled “Capacity-Building for Higher Education and the Establishment of Agricultural Genomics Research Center at the University of the Philippines-Los Baños,” was launched through a signing ceremony at UP Diliman on July 14, 2023. The project brings together the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), UPLB and IRRI to strengthen Philippine agricultural genomics research, education and partnerships.
It must be pointed out that this is not simply another infrastructure project, for the AGRC is designed to build people as much as facilities. Filipino researchers are receiving advanced training, including PhD opportunities at Korean universities, while researchers from both countries stand side by side decoding the molecular blueprint of climate-resilient crops.
The initiative aligns with President Marcos Jr.’s vision of a more modern, science-based and resilient agriculture. In his 2022 UN General Assembly address, he called for “concrete steps to address the global food security crisis,” linking it to the wider challenges posed by climate change and geopolitical instability.
In his 2023 State of the Nation Address, he made the domestic direction more explicit: “In our quest for food security, our methods are now more guided by science and the balance of nature,” while outlining efforts to modernize agriculture, improve productivity and strengthen the food supply chains.
That agenda now extends into regional and bilateral cooperation. As ASEAN Chair in 2026, President Marcos has called for stronger intra-ASEAN trade and food systems, noting that digital innovation can help anticipate shortages, improve agricultural productivity and support better decision-making.
His administration’s partnership with Korea is moving in the same direction. During President Lee Jae Myung’s March 2026 state visit, the two countries signed agreements covering agriculture, digital cooperation, digitalization and innovation, among other areas, which would sustain the momentum of the Philippines-ROK Strategic Partnership.
The AGRC translates these priorities by applying advanced molecular science to make crops adapt better to environmental changes, while linking the research networks of IRRI and CGIAR. With the Philippines chairing ASEAN, the center can grow beyond a bilateral project into a regional beacon of agricultural innovation, linking Filipino scientists with partners across and beyond Southeast Asia. The center’s proximity to IRRI points a more symbolic light upon them: the institution that in the past helped improve Asian rice production and contributed to Korea’s own agricultural transformation standing beside a new edifice working at the frontier of genomics for the future of food security.
The Korean-Philippine story began with survival in a season of war. It matured into nourishment in a season of hunger. Now it enters a season of shared knowledge and sovereign innovation.
When the ribbons are cut at Los Baños on Sept. 21, it will not just inaugurate a research facility. It will tell a story of what two countries can accomplish when genuine gratitude is transformed into an enduring partnership for generations to come.
Lee Dong-gy is the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the Philippines.
abtestabtest No refund lobby By COMMONSENSE | By Marichu A. Villanueva | 1 day ago After years of it being charged to our monthly electric bills, the Bureau of Internal Revenue has officially removed the value-added tax on system loss charge of power utilities like the Manila Electric... Opinion Red flags in the BARMM vote By SKETCHES | By Ana Marie Pamintuan | 1 day ago In Maluso, Basilan, over 16,000 ballots – about half of the entire voting population in the town – were found to have been pre-shaded. Opinion Pax Silica: Debunking the myths By THE CORNER ORACLE | By Andrew J. Masigan | 1 day ago Last week’s Luzon Economic Corridor Investment Forum served as the ceremonial launch of Pax Silica in the Philippines. Opinion Bad enough to be jailed, worse to go blind there By GOTCHA | By Jarius Bondoc | 1 day ago Once again I give space to these reports by Jamaica Mae Digo of Tzu Chi Eye Clinic: Opinion Cause and liability By CTALK | By Cito Beltran | 1 day ago We first learned about the maritime disaster involving MV June Aster from friends and relatives in the Netherlands aka Holland. Opinion Latest More in Opinion EDITORIAL - Honesty in SALNS Seismic Bringing Ukrainian children back home Subversive readers needed abtest Bastos By VIRTUAL REALITY | By Tony Lopez | 48 minutes ago Bastos. Opinion EDITORIAL – Independent probe needed 1 day ago As of the latest count, 76 people were confirmed dead while 12 to 13 others remained unaccounted for in the fire that engulfed the ferry June Aster as it approached the port of Coron in Palawan on the night of Sept.... Opinion EDITORIAL - Perpetual BSKE postponement 2 days ago Look around you: political dynasties start at the smallest unit of government, the barangay. Village posts are the entry level for members of political clans. Opinion Slippery By FIRST PERSON | By Alex Magno | 2 days ago Today, the oil price increase will be especially brutal on our consumers. Opinion Recommended Chiz OKs presentation of VP’s SALNs from 2007 September 16, 2026 - 12:00am The Senate impeachment court will scrutinize Vice President Sara Duterte’s financial records starting from her time as a local official in Davao City to establish a “baseline” for her wealth, presiding...r OpinionFRANCIS ESCUDERO VP Sara ready to replace Marcos, says spokesperson September 16, 2026 - 12:00am Vice President Sara Duterte is ready to replace President Marcos in case the latter resigns, according to her spokesman. OpinionPAOLO PANELO Congress urged: Permanently remove system loss charge September 16, 2026 - 12:00am It’s now the turn of Congress – the Senate and the House of Representatives – to do its part in giving relief to consumers burdened by high electricity bills, by passing a law that would permanently...r OpinionELECTRICITY DOJ summons Padilla over Bato’s escape from Senate September 16, 2026 - 12:00am For helping fugitive Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa escape from the Senate in May, the Department of Justice has summoned Sen. Robinhood Padilla over allegations of obstruction of justice. OpinionROBINHOOD PADILLARONALD “BATO” DELA ROSA Pinoys all in for Eala September 16, 2026 - 12:00am They’re all in. PSC. POC. PHILTA. The Senate. All behind Alex Eala. OpinionALEX EALA next Recommended Chiz OKs presentation of VP’s SALNs from 2007 The Senate impeachment court will scrutinize Vice President Sara Duterte’s financial records starting from her time as a local official in Davao City to establish a “baseline” for her wealth, presiding officer Sen. Francis Escudero said yesterday. 1 day ago FRANCIS ESCUDERO VP Sara ready to replace Marcos, says spokesperson Vice President Sara Duterte is ready to replace President Marcos in case the latter resigns, according to her spokesman. 1 day ago PAOLO PANELO Congress urged: Permanently remove system loss charge It’s now the turn of Congress – the Senate and the House of Representatives – to do its part in giving relief to consumers burdened by high electricity bills, by passing a law that would permanently remove the system loss charges, Rep. Arthur Yap of Murang Kuryente party-list said yesterday. 1 day ago ELECTRICITY DOJ summons Padilla over Bato’s escape from Senate For helping fugitive Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa escape from the Senate in May, the Department of Justice has summoned Sen. Robinhood Padilla over allegations of obstruction of justice. 1 day ago ROBINHOOD PADILLA RONALD “BATO” DELA ROSA Pinoys all in for Eala They’re all in. PSC. POC. PHILTA. The Senate. All behind Alex Eala. 1 day ago ALEX EALA OK Are you sure you want to log out? Yes No X Login Philstar.com is one of the most vibrant, opinionated, discerning communities of readers on cyberspace. With your meaningful insights, help shape the stories that can shape the country. Sign up now!
