The Philippines
October 16, 2007
Source:BusinessMirror
via SEAMEO SEARCA
Department of Agriculture
stands by national policy to promote safe use of modern
biotechnology
The Department of Agriculture (DA) is standing by the national
policy on modern biotechnology and rejected the call of Gov.
Joseph Maranon of Negros Occidental for support in banning
genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in the province.
Agriculture Undersecretary Bernie G. Fondevilla, in a letter to
Maranon, said the DA is prevented from imposing a GMO ban,
saying it runs counter to the national policy of promoting the
safe and responsible use of modern biotechnology.
Fondevilla was reacting to an earlier letter from Maranon asking
the DA to support the province's campaign to promote the
province as an organic-food island. Subsequently, the campaign
calls for the banning of GMOs
Maranon's called the attention of the DA last month and asked
for its "active participation and support" in imposing the ban
on the entry, importation, growing, planting, selling and
trading of GMO plants and animals.
Maranon also asked the possibility of integrating or pairing a
monitoring stations to be put up by the provincial government
with the existing quarantine arrangements of the DA in entry
points in Negros.
Fondevilla, however, said that the DA respects the decision of
the provincial government of Negros Occidental to ban GMOs in
the province to achieve its vision of becoming the country's
first organic-food island.
But he cited the national policy issued by President Arroyo on
July 16, 2001, which states that the Philippines "promotes the
safe and responsible use of modern biotechnology as one of
several means to achieve and sustain food security, equitable
access to health services, sustainable and safe environment, and
industry development."
According to Fondevilla, the policy directed the DA, along with
the health, environment and natural resources, trade and
industry departments, and other concerned agencies of the
government, to formulate directives and regulations, on the
access and use of modern biotechnology products.
Subsequently, he said, the DA issued Administrative Order 8s
2002, or the rules and regulation governing the importation and
release into the environment of plant and plant products derived
from modern biotechnology.
Further, on March 17, 2006, he said President Arroyo issued
Executive Order 514, which establishes the National Biosafety
Framework, which strengthens the National Biosafety Committee of
the Philippines.
" The role of the DA regulations is to provide Filipino farmers
a wide array of available technologies for agriculture
production and ensure that the products of these technologies
are determined safe by DA regulatory agencies consistent with
standards on food, feed and environmental safety," he said.
He cited as an example the list of approved products in the
registry of regulated articles for propagation, or direct use
for food, feed and processing into food and feed issued by the
Bureau of Plant Industry.
The products, he said, are now commercially available in the
market.
Fondevilla said the DA is barred from banning such GM products,
which have been declared safe.
However, he said, the DA respects their decision to establish
the province as an organic food island, saying the DA is also
promoting organic agriculture through compliance with organic
standards and certification and accreditation systems. |
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