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Dry direct seeding (DDS) is promising option to address unreliable rainfall patterns and labor scarcity in rainfed rice areas. DDS can advance rice planting time to escape droughts or strong typhoons at the end of wet season. This study aimed to compare the performance of rice crops established through manual methods by farmers practice (FP) of dry direct seeding in selected drought-prone rainfed areas. In addition, this study determined the economic advantage of using mechanized by direct seeding over manual methods. The three manual methods used were line seeding, dibbling and broadcasting, with seed rates of 200- 80- and 240-kg/ha, respectively. The seed rate used for mechanized DDS using MP seeder was 60-kg/ha. Results showed that the average seedling emergence counted at 14 days after seeding was 175 plants m-2 with MP plots while 688 plants m-2 as average for the three FP methods. Consequently, the number of tillers at vegetative stage was higher by 20-30% with F P methods compared with MP plots. However, the higher tiller number in FP plots did not result to more panicle number at harvest. Grain yield in the MP plots ranged from 3.96-4.59 t/ha while from 3.80 to 4.25 t/ha in FP plots and the difference was not a significant. The crop establishment cost was lower by 32-60% in MP plots and net income was increased from PhP 2,651 to 16,097/ha while from 3.80 to 4.25 t/ha in FP plots and net income was increased from PhP 2,651 to 16,097/ha in MP plots in comparison with farmers' practice depending whether line seeding, dibbling or broadcasting. Mechanized DDS using MP seeder is a promising technology for …