Los Baños, Laguna in the context of Philippine Province

The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) is an international agricultural research and training organization with its headquarters in Los Baños, Philippines, and offices in seventeen countries. IRRI is known for its work in developing rice varieties that contributed to the Green Revolution in the 1960s which preempted the famine in Asia.

The institute, established in 1960 aims to reduce poverty and hunger, improve the health of rice farmers and consumers, and ensure environmental sustainability of rice farming. It advances its mission through collaborative research, partnerships, and the strengthening of the national agricultural research and extension systems of the countries IRRI works in.

Laguna [lɐˈɣuː.na], officially the Province of Laguna (Filipino: Lalawigan ng Laguna), is a province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region in Luzon. Its capital is Santa Cruz while its largest city is Biñan. The province is situated southeast of Metro Manila, south of the province of Rizal, west of Quezon, north of Batangas and east of Cavite. Laguna straddles the southern shores of Laguna de Bay, the largest lake in the country. As of the 2024 census, the total population of Laguna is 3,687,345. Among all 82 provinces in the Philippines, Laguna accounted for the largest share (5%) of the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) with a total of Php 990.69 billion in 2022.

Laguna is notable as the birthplace of José Rizal, the country's de facto national hero. It has numerous natural and cultural attractions such as Cavinti Falls aka Pagsanjan Falls, the University of the Philippines Los Baños and the University of the Philippines Open University in Los Baños, the hot spring resorts of Calamba on the slopes of Mount Makiling, Pila historic town plaza, Taytay Falls in Majayjay, the wood carvings and papier-mâché created by the people of Paete, the annual Sampaguita Festival in San Pedro, the turumba of Pakil, the tsinelas footwear from Liliw, the Pandan Festival of Luisiana, the Pinya Festival of Calauan, the Seven Lakes of San Pablo, and the Nagcarlan Underground Cemetery in Nagcarlan.