Manila, The Philippines
April 2, 2007
The first national congress of the
biotechnology network of the Philippines ended formally
yesterday with participants agreeing to promote agricultural
biotechnology products nationwide and establish a strong
information and marketing system for the benefit of producers.
BIONet, as the network is known, held its congress from April 1
to 2 at the Balay Kalinaw of the University of the Philippines
in Diliman (UP Diliman), and established itself as a national
organization that unites policymakers, agricultural producers,
local government units (LGUs), the private sector and the
scientific community.
All the participants were unanimous in declaring the need for a
national organization that would develop the local market for
biotechnology products, which include genetically-modified
organisms (GMOs), natural ingredients, traditional varieties
developed through selection and cross-breeding, tissue culture
and hybrids.
BIONet has been promoting biocommerce as well, developing a
market for l biotechnology products developed by such agencies
as the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), Bureau of
Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), Philippine Coconut
Authority (PCA), Philippine Sugar Research Institute
(Philsurin), Institute for Plant Breeding (IPB) in UP Los Banos,
the National Institute for Microbiology and Biotechnology in UP
Diliman and other research institutions.
The acceptance and widespread use of biotechnology products in
the Philippines are covered by strict rules implemented by the
National Biosafety Council of the Philippines (NBCP) and the
Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) and the Bureau of Animal Industry
(BAI) to ensure that only safe and environmentally-acceptable
products are propagated in the country.
BIONet was organized through the efforts of Director Alicia
Ilaga of the Biotechnology Implementing Unit of the
Department of Agriculture
(DA-BPIU), Dr. Edita Burgos of the Biotechnology Media and
Advocacy Resource Center (BMARC), Dr. Saturnina Halos of the
Biotechnology Committee and Dr. Nina Barzaga of the
Biotechnology Coalition of the Philippines (BCP).
BIONet is a crucial component for Biocommerce, which seeks to
develop a market for biotechnology products at the local and
global markets, and encourage producers to market their products
by setting up and deepening links to commercial buyers and
end-users.
Dr. Burgos opened the congress while Dr. Ilaga welcomed all the
participants. Dr, Halos discussed the latest trends in
biotechnology while Dr. Barzaga, who represents the
Biotechnology Coalition of the Philippines (BCP), discussed the
prospects of biotechnology to improve farm incomes and guarantee
food security.
Unveiled by BMARC consultant Edicio de la Torre was the LGU
Course Module, which Mayor Gerry Calderon accepted. The module
will be used extensively by local chief executives to promote
agricultural biotechnology, particularly in farming communities.
Potentially, agricultural producers could earn billions of pesos
from the massive cultivation of biotechnology products that are
in demand in the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries.
The development of appropriate biotech crops would also increase
rural incomes. |
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