Davao City won't allow 'Bt talong' open-field testing

DAVAO CITY, Philippines ­– The Davao City government does not welcome efforts to conduct an open-field testing of the bacillus thurigensis (Bt) eggplant at the University of the Philippines-Mindanao campus in Barangay Bago Oshiro, Mintal district here.

Mayor Sara Duterte said the city government stands by its earlier ruling approving the local Organic Agriculture Ordinance, which encourages farmers to use only natural or non-chemical-based fertilizers.

“We are promoting organic agriculture and the Bt eggplant runs counter to it,” she said.

Duterte said the local government could not put residents at risk with environment and health damages that the Bt eggplant could bring.

“There is no compelling reason for us to welcome the Bt talong – the fruit and shoot borer pest can be managed by the organic method,” Duterte said in a letter to UP-Mindanao chancellor Gilda Rivero.

“As risks to public health and environment are suspected if the Bt eggplant will spread in the city, we have adopted the position of Dr. Pushpa Mittra Bhargava, an Indian scientist and expert on genetically modified crops, which is to embrace the precautionary principle,” she added.

Last Tuesday, the Davao City council approved a resolution supporting Duterte’s stand “as it is the duty of the state to protect both the public health and the environment.”

The city councilors said it is provided under the Organic Agriculture Ordinance that the Bt talong is a complete departure from the city’s policy for a sustainable agriculture and fishery sector.

Bhargava said during a public consultation at the Ateneo de Davao University that the Bt talong has not even gone through complete risk assessment tests even by Indian scientists.

“I would not recommend open-field trials for Bt talong because that would be a disaster. There should be thorough risk assessment done before even releasing it on field trials,” Bhargava said.

Bhargava said more biosafety tests for at least 20 years in a controlled environment must be done to ensure that it is safe to both humans and the environment.