RP savants push bill to draw private investments in biotechnology

A group of Filipino scientists is pushing for legislation that would encourage the private sector to invest in the wider commercialization of biotechnology products in the country.

"We want legislators to put in place a regulatory framework that will serve as a control system for products with biotech and human genome because the technology is very promising and could be beneficial to the public," said Dr. Perla S. Ocampo, president of the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST), in a recent presentation to the Senate.

Another recognized Filipino scientist, Dr. Emil Javier, a former president of the University of the Philippines and a Minister of Science during the Marcos administration, noted that a legislation on biotechnology will ensure a fail-safe system.

NAST said that an established regulatory framework will also help clarify issues and provide a basis for making critical decisions on the use and application of biotechnology.

Sen. Ramon Magsaysay Jr. said biotechnology could provide solutions to the country’s growing food security problems.

"Biotechnology is a big factor in trying to make agriculture more productive and if given strict regulations, will ensure safety to health and environment while making marginalized farmers more productive with lesser use of chemicals and pesticides," said Magsaysay.

The government, particularly the Department of Agriculture, is supportive of expanding the use of biotechnology in the agriculture sector.

The Philippines recently joined the ranks of "biotech mega-countries" on only on its second year of commercial production of biotech crops and is seen to further expand its hectarage devoted to planting genetically-modified (GM) crops in the next few years.

The Philippines earned the status of biotech mega-country last year and became the first country in Asia to achieve this status with a major biotech food/feed crop.

The biotech mega-country status was confirmed by Clive James, chairman and founder of the biotech advocacy organization, the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA).

The Philippines planted close to 55,000 hectares of Bt-corn last year, mostly in major corn-producing regions such as Isabela and Cagayan Valley in Northern Luzon and in South Cotabato in Mindanao. This was a big leap from 20,000 hectares in 2003.

This year, the area planted to the pest resistant Bt-corn is projected to reach 100,000 hectares.

A country is elevated to a biotech mega country status if it grows at least 50,000 hectares or more biotech crops.

"The continued rapid adoption, especially among small, resource-poor farmers, is a testament to the economic, environmental, health and social benefits realized by farmers and society in both industrial and developing countries," said James.

In the Philippines, two companies have pioneered in selling Bt-corn, Monsanto Philippines and Pioneer Hi-bred Philippines. Recently, multinational company Syngenta Philippines has gotten approval for the sale and planting of its Bt-corn variety.

There are now 14 biotech mega countries with the addition of Paraguay, Mexico, Spain and the Philippines. The other countries are the US, accounting for 59 percent of the global total of biotech crop area; Argentina – 20 percent; Canada – six percent; Brazil – six percent; China – five percent; Paraguay – two percent; India – one percent; and South Africa - one percent.