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I am not too knowledgeable about genetically-modified organisms (GMO)
but I stay away from GMO food mainly because I have an auto-immune
disease which may be caused by an allergic reaction to food, among
others. For individuals like me, consuming GMO food will make it
very difficult to trace the cause of any allergy because of the
highly “re-engineered” genetic composition of the food. One of
the most commonly modified crops is corn. The 2006 research of
Southeast Asia Regional Initiatives for Community Empowerment (Searice),
a regional development NGO, showed that Bt corn are being sold to
farmers without labels as genetically modified, thus, depriving them
of adequate information and the right to know and choose.
Seed companies marketing Bt corn do not tell
farmers to follow the “refugia system” where 20 percent of total
corn plantation must be planted to non-Bt corn varieties to prevent
resistance build-up of corn borer to the Bt toxin. This is in
violation of one of the conditions set by the Bureau of Plant
Industry (BPI) for the commercial propagation of Bt corn. Genetic
contamination prevention measures such as requiring farmers to
isolate planted Bt corn at least 200 meters away from the nearest
non-Bt corn plantation (distance isolation) or planting Bt corn
either 21 days before or after the planting of a nearby non-Bt corn
plantation (time isolation) was not followed by farmers. Farmers are
either unaware of such measures or, if they did, found them
impractical. There is no effort done by seed companies or by
agencies regulating Bt corn commercial propagation to ensure that
farmers follow these precautionary measures.
The BPI does not monitor the sites and coverage
of Bt corn planting across the country and relies on seed companies
to submit reports of field performance of their Bt varieties. There
is no assessment and monitoring undertaken by BPI to find out
possible problems associated with Bt corn planting such as genetic
contamination of non-Bt seeds including local corn varieties which
are consumed by people; potential build up of corn borer resistance
to Bt toxin; effects of Bt toxin on non-target organisms; and health
reactions of local communities where Bt corn are being planted.
The commercialization of Bt corn and other GMO
crops in the Philippines is based mainly on Administrative Order No.
08 of the Department of Agriculture issued in 2002. Based on the
research results and analysis since its first implementation,
Searice finds that the order is flawed in several aspects. First,
there are no mechanisms for actual public consultations but these
are being substituted through the use of public information sheets
(PIS) which are either simply posted in local communities in the
case of field trial applications or published in a national
newspaper in the case of commercial propagation applications. The
PIS is not public consultation.
Opposition to GMO field trials or commercial
propagation applications are to be submitted in writing to the BPI
and does not automatically merit public hearings but subject to the
discretion of the BPI. Procedurally, the application is biased in
favor of the applicant. For field trial applications, the applicant
itself sets up the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) which is
responsible for conducting risk assessment concerning the proposed
field trial. The IBC is composed of three scientists and two
“community representatives” from where the field trials are
being planned. There is no doubt that the decisions of the IBC would
end to favor the applicant. The Scientific and Technical Review
Panel (STRP), which evaluates the application, relies mainly on the
IBC’s report and where the IBC makes a positive endorsement of the
field trial, it is likely that the STRP would also give a positive
evaluation. For commercial propagation, the STRP also decides on
applications largely based on the field trial results as submitted
by the applicant itself.
The administrative order has no provision for
redress and liability in cases where approved GMO field trials and
propagation cause damage or adverse effects on persons or
communities in the case of genetic contamination of non-GM and/or
organic crops or possible health impacts.
director@haribon.org.ph
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