Government embarks on 4-year biotech program to put RP in forefront

The government is embarking on a four-year biotechnology program in a bid to establish a niche market for the Philippines in the fast-growing global bio-enterprise industry.

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) are collaborating on a Biotechnology Research and Development (R & D) agenda for 2006-2010, aimed at making the Philippines a leader in Southeast Asia in the field of biotechnology.

The Philippines’ stepped-up efforts in biotechnology is geared toward catching up and taking advantage of the bright prospects for the global biotech industry.

A recent global review of the industry stressed that listed biotech companies are poised to achieve long-term success with less stock volatility. They are said to be in the strongest financial shape with technology capabilities progressing rapidly, pushing applications beyond health care into every other industry sector.

Moreover, biotech companies are becoming more global and are increasing their presence and relationship outside the US and are seen as one of major growth drivers in the coming years.

The DOST-DA joint effort will initially focus on biotechnology projects classified into food, industrial, environmental, medicine and health, agricultural and forest, marine and aquatic biotechnology. Each area will be handled by the DOST’s R & D Councils, which will conduct and pursue research and development.

"The Philippines has the competitive edge in biotech because biology training and research is developed in the country. We have well-trained scientists and technologists in the field, and have diverse flora and fauna, which are excellent resources for biological processes," said DOST Secretary Estrella Alabastro.

She added that if the government provides adequate support to these efforts, the Philippines can be a major player in the booming global biotech business and biotech enterprises can even be potential export earners.

Recently, the Export Development Council recently added biotechnology as a new sector in its cluster strategy for export development. The other government agencies participating in the program are the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCCARD) which will head research and development in the areas of agriculture, forestry and environment, the development of transgenics and conventional biotech products and bioremediation.

PCCARD’s researches will focus on transgenics such as the development of the papaya ringspot virus (PRSV), cloning of genes from coconut and on conventional biotechnology researches.