Twenty-six pupils from four Goducate Literacy Centers (in Maitim, Tranca, Sitio 74, Sitio Ulik) in Bay, Laguna, along with their teachers and parents, went on an educational tour on Sept 27. The purpose of this tour was to educate the pupils and their parents about the importance of rice, the stages of rice production from land preparation to consumption, and some rice varieties grown in different countries. At the same time it was a chance for the pupils and their parents from different literacy centers to get acquainted with each other.
The first stop was thus the Rice Museum of the International Rice Research Institute in Los Baños, Laguna. The children were completely awed by what they saw. They learnt that there are different varieties of rice and rice-based products. They saw the old tools and implements used by the farmers in Asia, Latin America, and Africa. And they saw exhibits of the different kinds of birds commonly found in the tropical rice fields.
This vist was also the first for the mothers and some of the teachers. Hence, they were as happy and as curious as were their children.
After the visit to the Rice Museum, the group was brought round the University of the Philippines Los Banos campus, with a stop-over at the newly-built Japanese Garden. The trip ended at the Goducate campsite in Bay for some games and for lunch.
