The Philippine Rice Institute (PhilRice) featured images of President Rodrigo Duterte and Vice President Leni Robredo in pieces of “rice paddy art”.

The rice art of Duterte and Robredo are located in RicePhil’s stations in Los Banos, Laguna and Muñoz, Nueva Ecija.

Using different varieties of rice, including one from Korea, the researchers from PhilRice were able to define the facial features of the Philippines’ two highest ranking government officials.

The developers clarified that they used the Korean variety of purple rice with dark purple leaves to show distinction from the regular green-leafed inbred variety.

“This project called Rice Up Pilipinas is, a creative way to call for unity among Filipinos to become partners for change in rice farming,” said Roger F. Barroga, program lead of the FutureRice Program and PhilRice deputy executive director for administration.

Another image, featuring Duterte and his campaign logo, is shown in a rice paddy art situated along the BioTech Road, inside the University of the Philippines campus in Los Baños.

“Our theme conveys two messages: PhilRice’s goal of increasing rice production and achieving rice security through research and development; and ‘rising up’ the Philippines through the leadership of the  two highest officials,” said Nehemiah Caballong, FutureRice Program’s ICT specialist

Rice art originated in Japan which is also a rice-producing country.

Japan’s more complicated rice art designs draw throngs of tourists each year.

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