ARMM businessmen back biotech

Influential businessmen from the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) recently expressed their strong support for the government’s policy on the use of biotechnology to boost local agriculture.

In a resolution passed during the first ARMM Business Congress held in Cotabato City, the businessmen said biotechnology "offers developing countries like the Philippines potent tool for addressing food security."

They also cited the role of biotechnology in increasing farm yields "in the face of declining farm productivity, decreasing agricultural area, deteriorating land quality, galloping population growth and rising rural poverty."

The ARMM businessmen’s endorsement of the application of biotechnology in agriculture followed a similar resolution from the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Filipino scientists. Support has similarly been expressed by several leaders of the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines.

Political leaders, including opposition Sen. Edgardo Angara, Isabela Governor Faustino Dy, Jr., and Isabela Rep. Rodolfo Albano have also openly backed the adoption of agricultural biotechnology.

President Arroyo signed early this year an Executive Order pinpointing biotechnology as an anchor of the government’s quest for food sufficiency and security. Through biotechnology, plant varieties with high resistance to specific pests are developed through the introduction of certain traits. Field tests on a high-yielding corn variety with natural high resistance to the deadly Asiatic corn borer were recently concluded.

Field-tests on biotechnology-processed rice and mangoes are also being done.

ARMM Business Council chairman Datu Haron U. Bandila said they will urge President Arroyo "to study the commercialization of agricultural products derived from biotechnology. He noted that the country "has the appropriate regulatory set-up to ensure that biotechnology products are safe even for human consumption.’

Bandila also expressed hope that biotechnology could help the country attain global competitiveness.

"Biotechnology research and product commercialization can help ensure that the country can compete in the free-trade scenario of the world economy," Bandila said.

Other Asian countries, including China, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand and Indonesia have taken steps ahead of the Philippines in the application of biotechnology to their respective agricultural sectors.