IRRI top officials push for biotechnology

A chemical pesticide and herbicide-free environment. Poor people getting free doses of beta carotene just by eating rice.

These are but some of the claimed benefits of biotechnology -- genetic engineering to be specific. But all these will be beyond the reach of Filipinos if the Senate approves a bill that will ban biotechnology in any of its form, as well as the conduct of research, in the country.

This, despite the fact that there has been no evidence in any country of human health problems related to any genetically modified organism (GMO).

Top officials of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) made a pitch for genetic engineering as they opposed Senate Bill No. 1313 which if approved, will ban any field release of GMOs.

IRRI's William Padolina, John Bennett, and Swapan Datta noted that the bill fails to give specific reasons for banning the field release of GMOs. "It implies only that GMOs are a threat to the right of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature," they said.

Padolina, former Science and Technology secretary, is currently IRRI deputy director-general for partnerships while Bennett and Datta are IRRI deputy director-general for partnerships while Bennett and Datta are IRRI senior molecular biologist and plant biotechnologist, respectively.

In a position paper submitted to the Senate, the three emphasized that the bill makes it a criminal offense for scientists with sincere desires to conduct research that could help lift millions of poor people out of malnutrition and poverty. It also makes the day-to-day activities of the National Committee on Biosafety of the Philippines (NCBP) a criminal offense, including other government agencies that may decide on field research involving GMOs regardless of any positive benefits to the country.

Agroseed Phils. is currently conducting field tests in General Santos City on a GMO (Bt corn) that if injected into the local corn hybrid can produce resistance to the Asian cornborer which currently accounts for 30 to 60 percent of yield loss in corn. The field testing, approved by the NCBP, is meeting resistance, however. A municipal council resolution ordered Agroseed to desist from further conducting the field test, although the mayor has yet to decide on the matter. The Supreme Court was also asked to stop the Agroseed field test.

If the Senate has its way, it now wants to ban the conduct of any GMO field testings.

The Senate bill, the IRRI officials noted, fails to prescribe a standard of environmental acceptability that must be reached before the ban can be lifted. It also failed to mention any of the likely benefits of GMOs such as more nutritious and cheaper food for the poor.

If this bill becomes a law, they emphasized that it will prevent Filipino farmers and consumers from sharing in the benefits of biotechnology, despite the fact that many of the country's neighbors such as China and Vietnam are already actively involved in such work.

They added that it will also rob the country of a valuable alternative to continued farm chemical use.

"Senate Bill 1313 if passed into law will also deprive many Filipinos of the latest advances in the diagnosis and treatment of important diseases. Some of these drugs, like human insulin, are already in the local market," they said.

Reacting to claims that GMO may pose risks to the environment, the IRRI officials noted that in countries where there has been heated debated on the issue of biotechnology for some time now, no attempt has been made to ban research in biotechnology, including the field testings of GMOs, despite pressure from some groups. -