An adventure in applied science - IRRI books - International Rice ...

102 History of the International Rice Research Instituteaffected access to IRRI property, as happened briefly, the Institute’s immediateresponse was to avoid inconvenient delays and the risk of research interferenceby using little-known back approaches to the center and the housing area,an expedient quickly followed by calmly confronting the blockading students.By being alternately conciliatory, persuasive, and firm, IRRI’s administratorsand staff apparently convinced the young agitators that the Institute was notthe “establishment tool” they thought it to be but a uniquely specializedscientific center working without monetary profit to make their nation selfsufficientin rice and to improve the lot of the Philippine farmer. At any rate,they cheerfully left the scene, taking their slogans with them.The described incidents of staff dissatisfaction and employee activism werefar from the norm and are mentioned to present a better balanced picture ofIRRI’s operation. No organization is free from personnel problems and IRRIhad its share, although to a minor degree. Still, 95% of the time, the Institutefunctioned without disturbances of any kind and the employees on the wholeseemed contented to have steady and interesting work, within an organizationof high status. Furthermore, in general, their own economic circumstancesimproved measurably. On the occasion of the meetings of the Board, forinstance, the trustees and director noted with satisfaction the growing numberof employee vehicles in the parking areas. When IRRI began its operations,almost none of its Philippine employees, except for senior scientists, had eithermotorcycles or automobiles, but every year saw more and more motorizedvehicles parked on the premises — a sign that IRRI personnel had accumulatedenough pay to acquire them. The Institute, it seemed, was somewhat improvingthe lot of Filipinos other than rice farmers!