Delbert Rice

Arthur Delbert Rice, Jr. (January 24, 1928 – May 8, 2014) was an American missionary, anthropologist, and environmental activist. He is best known for his environmental and human rights advocacy work with the Ikalahan community in Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines.

Rice co-founded the Philippine Association for Intercultural Development and the Kalahan Educational Foundation in Santa Fe, Nueva Vizcaya, and formerly served as chair of the Philippine Council for Sustainable Development.

Biography

Early life and education Born January 24, 1928 in Corvallis, Oregon, Delbert was the first child of Arthur Delbert Rice, Sr. and Linne Opal Shipley. His parents come from a German Evangelical Lutheran background. Rice is a ninth generation descendant of German theologian Anthony Jacob Henckel.

Rice and his family moved to San Diego, California in 1940 after his father accepted a new job handling supplies for the United States Navy. During World War II, the Rice family again moved to Liberty Lake, Washington after his father was reassigned to the Navy Supply Depot (now Industrial Park) in Spokane Valley. Rice graduated from Central Valley High School in absentia after enlisting for the United States Coast Guard at age 17.

In 1970, the national government of the Philippines planned to convert 6,300 hectares of ancestral lands into a vacation destination to be known as "Marcos City", named after then President, Ferdinand Marcos. With the support of Rice, the local community filed a legal case to force the government to recognize their ancestral land claims, which resulted in a legal victory in 1972 forcing the government to abandon its plans to develop the area.

Rice co-founded the Philippine Association for Intercultural Development. Along with Ikalahan tribal elders, Rice co-established the Kalahan Educational Foundation (KEF), a people's organization composed of the total population of Imugan. He also served as a founding board member of the Non-Timber Forest Products – Exchange Programme and chair of the civil society counterpart of the government-sanctioned Philippine Council for Sustainable Development.

Personal life Rice died on May 8, 2014 in Imugan, Santa Fe, Nueva Vizcaya. He was survived by his five children: Harold, Alfred, Eugene, Tim and Flora Joy; and thirteen grandchildren.

Legacy An earthworm species discovered in the Philippines, Archipheretima ricei, was named after Rice in 2009 in recognition for his work in preserving the forests of the Caraballo Mountains where the specimen was collected.

In September 2014, the Ateneo de Manila University posthumously awarded Rice the Parangal Lingkod Sambayanan (Public Service Award) for his "pioneering efforts in sustainable upland development, agroforestry, land rights protection, education for indigenous peoples and institution building."

The Pastor Rice Small Grants Fund, which provides funding to women-led indigenous community initiatives in Southeast Asia, was named after Rice.

Published works

Anthropology in Development and Integration: The Kalahan Experience (1977) Development and Ethics: The Kalahan Experience (1982) An Ecology Manual for Upland Farmers (1993) Ecology: Ti Urnos Ti Lubong (1998) The Quiet Ones Speak: Testimonies Concerning Christian Beginnings (2001) Basic Upland Ecology (2007) Life in the Forest: Ikalahan Folk Stories (2011) Walking with a Troublemaker (2011)