biolife 4_final.P65 - SEARCA Biotechnology Information Center

2 BIO LIFE October – December 2005

October – December 2005 BIO LIFE 

3 

GAWAD GALING: 

Pushing frontiers of scientific inquiry 

Nueva Vizcaya creates first ever 

task force on biotechnology 

BCP: Braving 

the New World 

Domingo Panganiban: 

‘Simple’ techniques in 

agricultural development 

Learning about 

biotechnology 

the fun way 

Dr. Arsenio Balisacan: 

Being candid on biotechnology, 

agriculture and governance 

PCARRD reaping gains 

Through biotechnology 

farmers can become 

businessmen 

My gene in a bottle 

Biotechnology and its 

impact on culture 

ISAAA helping 

enhance life through 

biotechnology 

LBDH all-out for 

newborn screening 

Biotechnolgy around the world 

Making agri-biotech work 

MAOs in the frontline 

Things you need to 

know about biotech 

In search of the perfect 

eggplant, tomato, papaya 

and GM crops... 

Dr. Desiree Hautea 

shows the way 

A budding partnership 

Biotek ng Pinoy: 

Kumpletos Rekados 

BioLife is a quarterly magazine published by the 

Biotechnology Coalition of the Philippines in cooperation 

with the J. Burgos Media Services Inc. with editorial 

offices at 2/F The Advocacy House, 8 Sct. Chuatoco St, 

Quezon City, Philippines. Telephone (63-2) 4137293. 

Fax No. (63-2)3728560. 

E-mail: info@biotechforlife.com.ph 

Website: biotechforlife.com.ph 

Entered as 2nd Class Mail at Quezon City Central Post Office 

Under Permit No. 05-005-NCR 

Dated April 08, 2005, Valid until December 31, 2005 

Subject for Postal Inspection 

Joel C. Paredes, editorial director • Roja Salvador and Lyn Resurreccion, associate editors 

Benjo Laygo, art director • Nanie Gonzales, assistant art director • Joe Galvez, photo editor 

Dr. Edita Burgos and Abe Manalo, editorial consultants • Leonilo Doloricon, art consultant 

Alfonso Sabilano, Menchu Bon, Rose Bingayen, Natividad Guerrero, editorial staff 

Our partner agencies are the Department of Agriculture, DA-Biotech Program Implementation Unit, 

and Technical Committee for Public Awareness and Education of the Philippine Agricultural and 

Fisheries Biotechnology Program, Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and 

Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) and the Philippine Council for Agriculture Forestry and 

Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD) 

Our Biotech for Life Media and Advocacy Resource Center is open to the public. It is located at 

92 Road 1 corner Road 33, Project 6, Quezon City with telefax No. (63-2) 4569339.

4 BIO LIFE October – December 2005 

GAWAD GALING: 

Pushing frontiers 

of scientific inquiry 

THE Gawad Galing for Biotech Journalism 

was conceptualized by the late Jose 

Burgos Jr., a farmer and a renowned journalist 

who sought a way to give recognition 

to members of the media who had 

given particular focus to biotechnology. 

The Award was established to celebrate 

the spirit in which he conceived of the 

award itself - to encourage journalists to 

push the frontiers of scientific inquiry. 

As a journalist, Jose or Joe Burgos, 

who died of cancer at age 62 in November 

2003, was known for his pioneering 

spirit. He was among the first police beat 

reporters to practice investigative reporting. 

In the late ’70s he blazed the trail in 

independent publishing under martial law, 

pioneering in what would be called later 

“The Mosquito Press” or the “Alternative 

Press,” for which he received two 

prestigious international awards: Journalist 

of the Year, named by the UN-based 

InterPress Service in 1986; and one of 

the 50 Press Freedom Heroes of the 20th 

Century, a worldwide search conducted 

by the International Press Institute when 

it marked its 50th anniversary at the new 

millennium. 

Burgos Jr. would later apply that same 

pioneering spirit in other areas — including 

agriculture. 

As a farmer, he steered clear of 

chemicals because of their adverse effects 

on the environment, as well as on the 

crops he grew. Thus, he tried plant crossbreeding 

and was fascinated by biotechnology 

— its potential benefits to farmers, 

end-consumers and the environment. 

Agriculture and science journalism, 

with particular focus on biotechnology, 

is still considered uncharted territories 

and very few media practitioners have 

had the courage to tackle it, perhaps 

because it remains controversial and subject 

of continuing debate, and because 

it is complicated and requires more study, 

research and deeper understanding, not 

to mention the lack of technical skills to 

explain it in laymen’s terms. 

The late Jose Burgos Jr. 

Dr. Edita T. Burgos, wife, educator 

and fellow farmer who shared 

Joe’s passion both for journalism 

and agriculture explains: 

“Gawad Galing is designed 

to recognize the efforts of 

journalists in writing stories 

specifically on biotechnology 

in national 

newspapers. Specifically, 

the awards 

aim to recognize 

outstanding efforts 

of national 

media practitioners 

in disseminating 

information on 

biotechnology to 

help motivate and 

sustain the interest of 

national media and to 

help develop public 

awareness and understanding 

on biotech.” 

In our effort to encourage 

and sustain interest in 

science, we are confronted 

with bigger 

problems: feeding the 

hungry and taking care of the sick. 

The Biotechnology Media and Advocacy 

Resource Center hopes to make 

the Gawad Galing an annual event — to 

eventually make the media its partner in 

promoting biotechnology by further expanding 

the search to include in future 

Gawad Galing awards for the broadcast 

media, who have a particular interest in 

biotechnology journalism. 

The first recipients of the Gawad 

Galing for Biotech Journalism were 

awarded on October 24, 2005, 3 p.m. to 

6 p.m., at Club Filipino, Greenhills, San 

Juan, Metro Manila.


5 

BCP: Braving the New World 

By ABRAHAM J. MANALO 

“The time has come,” the Farmer said, 

“To engineer the genes: 

Of sows - and sheep - and staple seeds - 

Of cavendish - and beans ...” 

Adapted from Lewis Carroll’s 

Through the Looking Glass 

WORLD population is projected to reach about 

nine billion by the year 2050, with more 

than 90 percent of this increase expected from 

developing countries— particularly from Asia. 

There is a need to double current food and feed 

production if only to sustain human and animal life 

on earth, while being able to maintain the life-support 

systems provided by the world’s natural environment. 

To be able to overcome these challenges 

requires no less than a paradigm shift from our 

traditional modes of thinking and doing things. It 

demands the generation of new knowledge 

brought about by scientific enhancement, the development 

and adoption of new appropriate technologies, 

and the judicious implementation of 

wise policies by government and the private 

sector. In particular, it requires man’s responsible 

utilization of modern biotechnology for food 

and agriculture to augment the conventional 

technologies that are currently being used. 

But like all scientific revolutions in the 

Kuhnian mold, the old conceptual world view 

cannot be banished easily by the emerging superior 

paradigm. Rather, as Alvin Toffler puts it, 

there is a “collision of waves”, a “super struggle” 

among and within competing civilizations. 

Traditional societies cling to their well accustomed 

but slowly failing beliefs and practices, while 

modernizing ones embrace innovative ideas and 

adapt their way of living to opportunities brought 

by the new sciences and technologies. 

We are already a witness to the Digital Divide 

— the widening chasm between countries coasting 

along the information technology highway and 

those helplessly left along the wayside. Now, we 

can also observe the same tragic pattern in the 

area of genetic engineering, between those which 

have ascended the biotechnology ladder and 

those which have opted to remain at the bottom 

rung. There is an emerging trend towards a 

Biotech Divide. 

It is sad to note that much controversy has 

been generated by this innocuous term — biotechnology 

— largely as a result of having incomplete 

information on one hand or being driven 

by emotions on the other. Yet come to think of it, 

biotechnology has been with humankind for quite 

technology states that the Philippines is committed 

to “promote the safe and responsible use of 

modern biotechnology and its products as one of 

several means to achieve and sustain food security, 

equitable access to health services, sustainable 

and safe environment, and industry development.” 

Add to this the lofty vision of BCP as 

enshrined in its Constitution: striving for “a safe, 

responsible, progressive, dynamic and forwardlooking 

Philippine society enjoying the full benefits 

of modern biotechnology. “ 

Partnering with government, the academic 

and scientific communities, industry and the private 

sector, farmer associations, media, church, 

and other like-minded civil society organizations, 

BCP has steered an independent but non-confrontational 

path in biotechnology advocacy. 

The coalition helps establish networks that 

a long time, long before we have even read of the 

X-men in comic books or watched the Mutant 

Ninja Turtles in the movies. 

Scholars point out that changes in agricultural 

technology have been going on for the past 10,000 

years, since the Neolithic man began domesticating 

then developing better strains of crops. Isn’t 

it about time the public is informed of the real nature 

of biotechnology and that a more level discussion 

of the issues and concerns follow 

The Biotechnology Coalition of the Philippines 

(BCP) was born out of the perceived need among 

stakeholders to form an expanded coalition that 

would focus on the advancement of the safe exploitation 

of modern biotechnology for the country. 

This is line with the national directive issued by 

government that BCP actively supports. 

The 2001 Policy Statement on Modern Biosupport 

various information, education and communication 

(IEC) activities to help engender a 

public environment supportive of modern biotechnology. 

Of course resources are very limited. 

Time is always a constraint. And coordinated 

collective undertakings, even among partners, 

can be difficult at times. But rather than dwell on 

these seemingly insurmountable problems, the 

coalition dares to dream for a better Philippines. 

Then, it patiently works for little accomplishments 

to attain the lofty dream, one step at a time. 

BCP’s initiative to promote biotechnology 

education is a case in point. The coalition supports 

the development of more science-based 

school curricula from the elementary to the high 

school and collegiate levels which integrates biotechnology 

in basic or general education. 

The coalition initiated discussions with the 

Commission on Higher Education (CHED), which 

has responded positively to these proposals. BCP 

also has a special project with the National Institute 

of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology of 

UP Diliman (NIMBB-Diliman), the National Institute 

of Science and Mathematics Education 

(NISMED), and the Biology Teachers Association 

(BIOTA) for the conduct of a series of 

FAQ seminar-workshops on modern biotechnology 

for high school and elementary 

teachers. The coalition supported schoolbased 

organizations, like the Science Club 

Advisers Association of the Philippines 

(SCAAP) and the Philippine Society of Youth 

Science Clubs (PSYSC), conduct their annual 

national conference with their theme focused 

on modern biotechnology. 

There are other similar success stories of 

this kind, modest but heart-warming. Fortunately, 

BCP is not alone in this undertaking. There are 

the DA Biotech-PIU, DOST, PCARRD, 

SEARCA-BIC, PhilRice, Hybridigm and 

PSciJourn, to name but a few. These are the 

institutions and organizations that share the same 

vision of BCP for an empowered Filipino farmer, 

a food-secure Filipino consumer, a globally competitive 

Philippine economy, and a modern Philippine 

society. 

As society constantly adapts to ever-changing 

challenges posed by continued consumption 

of limited resources, the impediments become 

more difficult to hurdle. But with the promise of 

modern science and our own resilience and resourcefulness 

as a people, we will overcome 

and triumph in the end. The new millennium is 

upon us. Welcome to a brave new world. 

(Abe Manalo is the executive secretary of 

the Biotechnology Coalition of the Philippines. 

He ca be reached at: abe_manalo@yahoo.com)


Domingo 

Panganiban: 

‘Simple’ techniques 

in agricultural dev’t 

By JOEL C. PAREDES 

AGRICULTURE Secretary Domingo F. Panganiban was 

candid enough to admit the Philippines is now “three 

steps behind” in agriculture development compared to 

its regional neighbors. 

His gauge was the country’s progress in productivity 

and management, the area of water use, and the base 

analysis of our agricultural crops. 

Coming from the agriculture czar, who shouldn’t be 

alarmed Still, Panganiban doesn’t advise a radical 

solution to the problem, although he says it might need 

more than hard work. Nevertheless, he wants to turn the 

situation into a kind of motivation. 

But first things first, he says. For instance, 

Panganiban has embarked on new initiatives to modernize 

agriculture production, but adds that this should 

come with good seed testing laboratories. This means 

strengthening support services for the seeds to germinate 

in the fields.


7 

He also wants to focus in developing 

“good” lands for agriculture. 

“Without seeds, land and water our 

modernization program is useless,” he 

says. The waste in the farms, he says, 

can also be converted for productive use. 

He intends to produce organic matter out 

of it through biotechnology. 

Panganiban says contrary to its critics, 

biotechnology can be put into full use in 

agriculture. For instance, he cites that its 

application can actually modernize the 

use of organic fertilizer apart from 

maximizing the proper use of water in 

crop agriculture. 

Panganiban says that the government 

shouldn’t just focus on rice in its biotechnology 

research and development 

initiatives. “We should also improve our 

mango, pineapple, banana, virgin 

coconut oil and sugar through biotechnology,” 

he says 

In the meantime, he wants hybrid 

varieties to help increase the farmers’ 

yield. He has, in fact, emphasized that he 

wants organic fertilizers to go hand-inhand 

with modern technology to ease the 

farmers’ burden. He has started organizing 

teams that would promote organic 

fertilizer production all over the country. 

The making of an agricultural 

bureaucrat 

For his vast experience in government 

agriculture work, Panganiban has 

been tagged by his colleagues in the DA 

as “the organization man.” 

“Ako naman kasi, I work with the 

system,” says Panganiban. 

Right after assuming his post as 

agriculture secretary, Panganiban says 

he decided to remove and reassign some 

people “because of public perception of 

their services.” 

“On that basis, I am trying new faces 

by giving them the opportunity to seek 

the level of confidence that the public 

would like of the government agency. 

And so on that basis we are now working 

as a team.” 

To strengthen the decentralization 

policy of government, Panganiban says 

he has also decided to “go all-out” in 

“We should also improve 

our mango, pineapple, 

banana, virgin coconut oil 

and sugar through 

biotechnology.” 

helping the local government units 

(LGUs) implement government agriculture 

programs. 

The agriculture secretary is reviving 

old initiatives to strengthen the integrated 

pest management (IPM) program of 

government, while empowering LGUs in 

handling — and operationalization of — 

research and development programs 

down to the grassroots. 

The agriculture secretary’s career 

path is one for the books. 

After finishing his BS in Agriculture at 

the University of the Philippines in Los 

Baños, Panganiban didn’t have much of a 

choice when he began working for 

government in 1961. 

At that time, he was the typical 

“iskolar ng bayan,” who had to finish at 

least four years of government work, then 

a university policy for those pursuing 

agriculture studies in Los Baños. He 

later majored in agronomy and plant 

protection. 

“I was asked to select where I would 

like to work in the whole country,” says 

Panganiban, conversing with his 

Batangueño accent. He was given a list 

of seven regions, and he decided that 

Region 7 was a good start. He eventually 

landed a job as pest control worker for 

the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI). 

Actually, Panganiban admits he could 

hardly explain why he chose 

Zamboanga City, other than being 

mesmerized by the promise of its 

historic beauty. 

Yet that decision honed him fast in 

agriculture work. He stayed in Mindanao 

for six years before being reassigned to 

the BPI office in Tarlac. He was later 

promoted as regional farm supervisor of 

Region III, and two years later as BPI 

regional director and as Deputy Executive 

Director of the National Food and 

Agriculture Council (NFAC). 

Despite a hectic work schedule, 

Panganiban managed to complete his 

master’s degree in public administration 

at UP Manila. 

From 1973 to 1986, he was NFAC 

executive director while serving as acting 

director of the Bureau of Agriculture


Extension (1973 to 1986), and later as 

BPI director (1975 to 1986). From 1984 to 

March 1986, he was the deputy minister 

of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food. 

After leaving government in March 

1986, he worked as a consultant for 

Purefoods, and served as the team 

manager of its professional basketball 

team until 1993.That job wasn’t farfetched 

for Panganiban, who admits that 

in college he would rather spend more 

time in basketball courts than at the 

classroom. He recalls having one 

notebook during his entire stay at the 

State University, where he also played for 

the varsity team. 

“But every time that I cannot attend 

classes, I always make sure that I would 

go to the library at night, and I read the 

books,” he says. 

At least, Panganiban says he had 

fulfilled his dream of “someday being a 

somebody in basketball.” He really 

wanted to become a doctor, but his 

parents couldn’t afford the tuition. His 

father was trading livestock, while his 

mother was a plain housewife taking 

care of her 11 children. Just to finish 

high school, Ding had to work extra 

hours as a newsboy in the morning and 

as ice cream vendor later in the day in 

their home town of Tanauan. 

In college, he had to pay only P90 per 

semester, but it was even reduced to P45 

when he joined the varsity team. 

Looking back, Panganiban says he 

had no regrets having 

pursued a career in 

agriculture work instead. 

He didn’t have 

second thoughts when 

he was asked to go back 

to government as 

presidential assistant 

for agriculture in 

February 1996, and 

then as DA undersecretary two months 

later. 

Even when he was with the private 

sector, Panganiban tried to make a 

difference in promoting agricultural 

productivity. In July 2004, he joined the 

United Nations Food and Agricultural 

Organization as policy specialist in Vietnam, 

Laos and Cambodia. He also served 

between 1995 and 1996 as rice production 

and technology specialist for FAO. 

In November 2000 he served in a 

concurrent capacity as acting administrator 

of the National Food Authority (NFA), 

and actually briefly served as secretary 

from January 8 to March 31, 2001. 

Getting down to serious work 

The agriculture secretary is taking the 

problem of lagging behind in agricultural 

development as a challenge for the entire 

agriculture department. 

Panganiban says he was serious in 

considering as top priority modernizing 

agriculture despite government’s financial 

constraints. 

With DA’s limited resources, 

Panganiban still advised his managers to 

maximize their allocations in identifying 

resource areas for better rice and corn 

production, while putting in the elements 

that have to make the farmers productive. 

Lately, he embarked on a comprehensive 

tie-up with LGUs on a P246 million 

environmentally sustaining organic 

fertilization program that hopes to raise 

rice productivity at reduced cost. 

In launching the “Agri- 

Kalikasan,” Panganiban says he 

is confident that the 

organization’s fertilization 

program would have substantial 

impact on the farm sector since 

this will reverse most farmers’ 

plan to cut down on production as 

a result of the high cost of fertilizers. 

The program also hopes to even 

raise land productivity which has 

declined due to prolonged use 

of chemical fertilizers that 

deplete soil nutrients. 

Meanwhile, 

he has also given the go signal for DA to 

ease pressure to increase rice imports 

by increasing white corn production and 

consumption in Visayas and Mindanao, 

where it has become the staple food. 

The agriculture secretary called for 

a review of the country’s corn production 

program to incorporate the expansion of 

white corn output. Corn planting is 

devoted mostly to regular and hybrid 

yellow corn varieties, and is consumed 

mostly by livestock and feeds sector. 

Panganiban says this policy will 

enable the country to save billions of 

dollars spent yearly for rice imports to 

meet the domestic demand and will 

ease the demand for rice stocks that are 

managed by the National Food Authority. 

He says that one of the reasons 

white-corn consumption slowed down 

over the years is DA’s emphasis on 

attaining rice self-sufficiency by increasing 

the hectarage for palay production. 

Panganiban says that government 

should realize that the country can never 

attain self-sufficiency in rice. “How can 

we be self-sufficient when our land area 

is less In 1966, the land area of the 

country devoted to rice was 5.2 million 

hectares. Today, it’s only 3.9 million 

hectares.” 

But Panganiban quickly points out 

that “we can stil be 90 to 95 percent 

sufficient (in rice).” 

He says that he wants to ensure that 

farmers remain the main beneficiaries 

with the increase in the prices of palay. 

“Now, we cannot even intervene because 

the prices are high. So we just 

wait once the price drops,” he says. 

Panganiban says that the farmers, 

through their mayors, have also asked 

the DA to help them look for new crops 

that they can plant to increase their 

productivity in the field. 

“So what we have to do is to look for 

the other commodities that will help us 

for export, and whatever dollars we earn 

out of it, we will now utilize to import the 

so-called gap in our rice production,” 

he says. 

The private sector, he says has a 

bigger role to play now. He explains that 

the businessmen’s participation in 

agriculture is greater than what they do 

in the industry. 

“In the agriculture sector, the 

farmers practically can be helped 

because there is too much production 

now,” he says. “But when there is a need 

for it to be seen in public markets, there 

is none.”


9 

PCARRD 

reaping gains 

‘Biotech leading Filipino scientists 

to paradigm shift in research’ 

It is considered as having the biggest 

number of projects in terms of functional 

biotech, or the use of modern biotechnology 

in specific products set for 

development, said Dr. Patricio Faylon, 

PCARRD executive director. 

These include the use of genetic materials 

which are focused on certain traits, 

like that in the delayed ripening of papaya, 

or resistance to certain pests and 

diseases, like the ringspot virus in papaya, 

bunchy-top abaca or the feathery mottel 

virus in sweet potato. 

Established in 1972 as the Philippine 

Council for Agriculture Research (PCAR), 

PCARRD is one of the five sectoral councils 

of the Department of Science and 

Technology (DOST). 

It serves as the main arm of the 

DOST in planning, evaluating, monitoring, 

and coordinating the national R&D 

programs in agriculture, forestry, environment 

and natural resources sectors. It also 

allocates government and external funds 

for R&D, and generates resources to support 

these programs. Its technical research 

divisions include crops, livestock, forestry 

and environment, agricultural resources 

management, and socioeconomics. 

By LYN RESURRECCION 

Dr. Patricio Faylon 

WHEN one visits the offices of the Philippine Council for Agriculture, 

Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development 

(PCARRD) in Los Baños, Laguna, one would not miss the beautiful 

postcard-perfect scenery in front of the building — the verdant trees 

and the mountain in the background. It was as if, reminding the researchers 

and PCARRD officials that they have to do their job in preserving and 

developing the country’s agriculture, forest and natural resources so that 

they may be enjoyed by the future generation. 

PCARRD is among the agencies that are in the forefront of the country’s 

research and development (R&D) in modern biotechnology to help increase 

food production, attain agricultural growth and responsibly manage 

environmental resources. 

Provides funding 

Faylon explained that the council does 

not conduct researches. 

“We have the funds, and we identify 

the institutions that are most capable and 

will do the job at less cost. But we determine 

most of the concepts of what we 

would like to see in the end product, like 

the use of genetic engineering against the 

bunchy top virus. Our 30 (researchers 

with) PhDs ang gumagawa ng specs. We 

say, ‘This is the R&D plan needed for 

national development. Sino ang pinakaappropriate 

member ng network to do 

it’ So we invite them to write the proposal.” 

PCARRD has been funding R&D 

biotech projects in the University of the 

Philippines Institute of Plant Breeding in 

Los Baños, Laguna, National Institute of 

Molecular Biology and Biotechnology 

(BIOTECH), UPLB, Central Luzon State 

University, University of Southern 

Mindanao, Leyte State Univesity and the 

UPLB Institute of Biological Sciences, 

among others. 

Since 1999, PCARRD has funded 21 

biotech projects. Among these are the 

development of transgenic banana resistant 

to bunchy-top virus, papaya resistant 

to ringspot virus, delayed-ripening pa-


paya, production of high genetic goats 

through superovulation and embryo 

transfer and cryopreservation, and genetically 

superior trees. 

pecking order. But in China and Malaysia, 

when you say you are from S&T 

department, sasabihin nila you are very 

powerful.” 

Papaya projects as guinea pigs 

And its biggest achievement 

“Ang pinaka-advance, ang parang guinea 

pigs are the papaya projects,” Faylon said. 

He said that in doing the researches 

on the delayed-ripening papaya and on 

the resistance to ringspot virus in papaya 

the regulations of the National Committee 

on Biosafety of the Philippines 

(NCBP), the methodology, the support 

services and even the risk communication 

on biotechnology were refined. The 

intellectual property (IP) audit was also 

started. 

“We can say that the papaya project, 

in totality, is one of the good things that 

have happened to the national modern 

biotechnology program,” he said. 

Citing examples, he said that the 

NCBP has earlier ruled that the Department 

of Agriculture has to give the permit 

for the controlled field experiments. 

Since it is still part of R&D, it remained 

under the NCBP ambit. 

At the same time, scientists trained in 

risk communication so they could appropriately 

explain biotech to the media. 

“In the past, after the scientists have 

talked to reporters, ‘paglabas sa media parang 

lalong nakakatakot ang genetic modification,” 

Faylon said. 

In the IP audit, he said that the Filipino 

scientists no longer have to develop 

the genetic materials of patented researches, 

which they have to pay exorbitant 

amounts, if they have acquired 

information on these. This way, the 

Filipino researchers only have to change 

or improve some of the facets of the 

research and be able to own the technology. 

National biotech plan 

PCARRD spearheaded the formulation 

of the national biotechnology plan, 

the latest of which is the Philippine Agricultural 

and Forest Biotechnology 

Agenda (PAFBA) II for the period 2002 

to 2010, to strengthen the national R&D 

management. It is based on the national 

policies, priorities, department thrusts 

and programs of the DOST, Departments 

of Agriculture and Environment 

and Natural Resources, and the needs 

of the major stakeholders like the farmers 

and the private sector and industry. 

It includes the priority products that 

have to be developed and the research 

investment needed. Listed are 29 

projects on agricultural resources — 

papaya, banana, coconut, corn, 

sweetpotato, buffaloes, goats, trees, ornamentals, 

rice, abaca, buffaloes, cattle, 

garbage, soil, livestock waste, coconut 

water — and has a grand total of P494 

million budget. 

“Before, we base our researches on 

problems. With the biotech program, the 

talk is on the tangible product. This is 

the big contribution of the biotech system. 

Even our scientists are now talking 

about research products that are good 

in quality, have a big demand in the market 

and sulit ang cost. Nagkaroon talaga 

ng paradigm shift,” Faylon said. 

Problems 

Despite the gains, Faylon said that the 

main problem in the Philippine biotech 

research is lack of funding. There is also 

the dwindling number of scientists who 

are in demand abroad. 

He said the government officials talk 

about R&D support, but this is not 

translated in financial support. He cited 

the case of the state colleges and universities 

— the major players in biotech 

research — whose budgets will not only 

be cut, but will be scrapped, requiring 

them to look for their own funds. 

“That’s ironic. In the advanced countries, 

kapag mahirap ang economy, they 

invest more on R&D so that new products 

are developed. Dito baligtad. Kapag 

mahirap, lalong binabawasan,” he quipped. 

“Dito, ang DOST ay nasa ilalim ng 

RP scientists better than neighbors, 

but. . . 

Faylon said that in terms of expertise 

in biotech, the Filipno scientists are 

a lot better. But among policymakers, 

those in Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia 

have higher appreciation of 

biotech research. “Their biotech programs 

have their own institutes; they 

have their own buildings with facilities,” 

he said. 

He added that in the development 

of products, the Philippines is at the bottom 

primarily because of the small financial 

support from the government. 

He said this is the reason why many scientists 

go abroad. 

“If you are a scientist, you want to 

see your product in the market. When 

you go abroad, people give you support 

by buying your product. Scientists 

are not after money per se. They want 

to see their product being sold in the 

market and helping improve the national 

productivity. Naiiwan na tayo ng Vietnam.” 

RP biotech in 10 years 

In 10 years, Faylon said, “We want 

to see that majority of the problems of 

coconut, abaca and mango are addressed 

already.” 

He added that he hopes there is already 

a program on metabolites, including 

the herbal crops, which have chemicals 

of high value. 

“These are the products which we 

believe have very important value that 

will help us to become competitive in 

the world market. We hope that our 

biotech system is commercialized by 

then, so that the projects we will be doing 

will have their market that will help 

fully develop the products.” 

ERRATUM 

In the article “Isabela province, 

gaining a foothold in biotechnology,” 

written by Joe Galvez in the July to 

September 2005 issue of BioLife 

Magazine, Dr. Rogelio Matalang was 

inadvertently identified as a professor 

at the Isabela State University, where 

in fact he is a professor at the Cagayan 

State University. Our apologies. 

— EDITOR


11 

By JONATHAN L. MAYUGA 

IMAGINE yourself, or at least essentially you, 

being 5-foot 9-inch tall and weighing at least 

100 kilos, stuffed inside a small bottle. Impossible 

Not quite. 

It’s amazing how a person’s traits could 

be passed on from father to son or mother 

to daughter or the combined traits of parents 

to their children and children’s children, 

and so on. But what is more amazing 

is when all these traits, the color of the eyes, 

skin, hair, shape of the nose, ears, and yes, 

intelligence and inherent talent like voice – 

or what is essentially YOURSELF, inside a 

bottle. 

A unit of hereditary information called 

gene that occupies a fixed position on a 

chromosome could be extracted from a 

single cell of living organisms, plants and 

animals alike in a process called gene extraction. 

Genes are composed of deoxyribonucleic 

acid (DNA) that uniquely characterizes 

plants, animals and humans. 

Gene extraction is the first step in making 

GM or genetically modified crops that 

are superb in size, resistant to virus and 

pests, and rich in nutritional values that are 

The author (left) places gene sample at a laboratory apparatus to heat at 65 

degrees Centigrade for five minutes. 

widely used and accepted in developed and 

developing countries. GM or genetically 

modified crops such as the controversial 

Bt corn — an insect-resistant breed of corn 

induced with the Bacillus thuringiensis, a 

common soil bacterium that produces protein 

that paralyzes the larvae of harmful insects. 

Dr. Asuncion K. Raymundo, director of 

the Institute of Biological Sciences at the 

University of the Philippines in Los Baños, 

Laguna, conducted a workshop for members 

of the media on September 29, 2005, 

allowing participants, “hands-on” laboratory 

experience on gene extraction — in particular, 

cells from inner cheeks. 

It’s quite an experience. After following 

instruction — we actually did it — put our 

own genes in a bottle! 

The procedure is quite easy that even a 

grade school pupil can do it. 

Here’s how: 

(First things first, though. There are certain 

rules and regulation in using the science 

laboratory. The use of gowns, rubber 

gloves and slippers are strictly enforced, to 

avoid contamination and protect the gene 

samples) 

1. Use two soft bristled brushes, a cotton 

bud or swab to extract substantial 

amount of cells. Scrub it gently from the 

inside of the cheek. 

2. Extract the collected cells to the Lysis 

buffer for a minute. The Lycis buffer 

contains solution where DNA is stable. This 

will digest the other cell, leaving behind the 

DNA or deoxyribonucleic acid. Press swab 

against the wall of tube to remove as much 

liquid as possible then invert gently for several 

times. 

3. Heat the tubes at 65 degrees centigrade 

for five minutes to allow the genes to 

bond together. 

4. Immediately add one drop (40uL) of 

Precipitate buffer and 300uL Absolute Ethanol 

(100 percent). Invert the tube gently for 

several times then place it on ice for five 

minutes. 

5. Spin for 15,000 rpm at four degree 

centigrade. The white-colored substance 

that appears in the tube after the process is 

your very own genes. 

According to Raymundo, the genes will 

be preserved for more than a year, or for as 

long as the alcohol keeps it “alive.” 

Genes or a single strand of DNA could 

be used for the positive identification of a 

person like — a fingerprint and dental 

record — and could be used to link him to 

a crime or as cross-reference of paternal 

relationship with another person. So keep 

your genes safe and intact! 

From the small amount of genes we 

extracted from our cheeks, with modern 

biotechnology, scientists can splice and 

reproduce multiple gene samples and 

create an artificial likeness of the subject 

or clones — another amazing, yet fuzzy 

possibility.


Biotechnology and its 

By SATURNINA C. HALOS, PhD 

Former Professor & Coordinator 

Molecular Biology & Biotechnology Program 

College of Science, University of the Philippines 

Diliman Campus 

& Chair, Biotechnology Advisory Team 

Department of Agriculture 

Introduction 

What is culture 

The Encyclopedia Americana states that culture is a term used 

by social scientists and humanistic scholars and has many meanings. 

Culture as a technical term emerged in the writings of anthropologists 

in the mid-19th century, Sir Edward B. Tylor used the 

term culture to mean the complex whole of ideas and things produced 

by men in their historical experience. In 1910, American 

anthropologists used the term culture to refer to the distinctive 

groups of traits characterizing particular tribal societies. In 1930, 

Ruth Benedict referred to culture as a pattern of thinking and doing 

that runs through the activities of a people and that distinguishes 

them from all other peoples. Later, culture was used to describe 

the distinctive human mode of adapting to the environment that is 

molding nature to conform to man’s desires and goals. All anthropologists 

agree that culture consists of learned ways of behaving 

and adapting as contrasted to inherited behavior patterns and instincts. 

Culture also means the behavioral contents of society. 

Culture is heterogenous term as it refers to innumerable items at 

different levels of generality: ideas, sentiments, values, objects, 

actions, tendencies and accumulations. 

What is biotechnology 

Biotechnology is a tool or process using a living organism or its 

part to produce an economic good or service. Biotechnology has 

a long history from natural processes like fermentation to complex 

laboratory methods like DNA manipulation. Biotechnology is still 

evolving as knowledge from the life sciences rapidly grows. Biotechnology 

dates back as early as the production of beer and wines 

about 6,000 B.C. by the Etruscans. This process of using living 

organisms mostly bacteria, yeast and fungi to transform raw materials 

into new and useful products is referred to as traditional biotechnology. 

Enzymes from organisms perform some of these product 

transformations. Thus, the use of enzymes is also part of traditional 

biotechnology. Traditional biotechnology produces most of 

the products common in our dining table; soy sauce, patis, 

bagoong, beer, cheese, etc. The science of biology grew by leaps 

and bounds after the elucidation of the structure of DNA, the genetic 

material in 1953 and the science of genetics comprised of 

studies on molecular interactions. New procedures, processes 

and products employ genetic information in the DNA, the direct 

manipulation and transfer of genes, the culture of cells and tissues 

of plants and animals and information about the molecular interactions 

of life processes including disease development. These 

new procedures are lumped together as modern biotechnology. 

In this paper, I shall discuss the impact of biotechnology on culture 

adopting and modifying the 1930 definition of Ruth Benedict 

referring to culture as a pattern of thinking and doing that runs through 

the activities of a people that would distinguish the pre-biotechnology 

era to post-biotechnology era. The term biotechnology in this 

context refers to modern biotechnology as defined above. Although 

perhaps the more appropriate definition of biotechnology should be: 

Useful applications of the advances in the life sciences since biotechnology 

keeps on evolving with the growth of the life sciences. As 

I am neither an anthropologist nor a sociologist, my presentation as 

far as these sciences are concerned will be that of a lay person. 

Thus, I will endeavor to answer as best as I can the question: 

“What changes has and will biotechnology make on the way 

we think and do things” 

Techniques/Products of modern biotechnology 

and changes they wrought 

Genetic engineering 

Genetic engineering is probably the most controversial technology 

and yet has produced many useful products to date. It is a 

procedure that produces a genetically modified organism (GMO 

synonymous to genetically engineered organism, transgenic, 

biotech organism, recombinant organism). Genetic engineering 

comprises a set of techniques that transfers desired genes by splicing 

the genes to a DNA vector (rDNA) and forcing the entry of the 

vector with the genes into cells and the stable integration of the 

genes into the genetic machinery of the host cell. If the host is a 

plant cell, it is induced to develop into a whole plant containing 

and expressing the transferred gene/s (transgene). In mammals, 

genes are injected into a fertilized egg or embryo which is then 

allowed to develop into the whole animal. What makes genetic 

engineering a powerful and controversial tool is that it can easily 

overcome the barriers on gene exchange between species. 

Genetic engineering has changed medical science and practice 

extensively, from the discovery and production of pharmaceuticals, 

to diagnosis and cure. Although we have known at the start 

of the 20th century that there are heritable metabolic disorders due 

to lack of enzymes, finding cure for these have been slow. Genetic 

engineering has changed this outlook. Lack of enzymes can now 

be remedied by providing the specific human enzyme. These enzymes 

have become available by genetic engineering. This involves 

copying the gene for the functional enzyme, transferring this gene 

either into a microbial, yeast or mammalian cell and producing the 

enzyme commercially. Genetic engineering allows the commercial 

production of rare proteins not normally obtainable and of human 

proteins away from the human body. One should also note the change 

into living factories - cells- instead of smoke-emitting and caustic 

chemical polluting factories. And as science progress true living 

factories in the form of plants and farm animals genetically engineered 

to produce therapeutic proteins will soon become realities. 

This augurs a change in agriculture also - biopharming where a 

field of tobacco, corn, or rice will be harvested for pharmaceuticals 

rather than for cigarette or food and a cow or a goat will be milked for 

pharmaceuticals rather than for a nutritious drink.


13 

impact on culture 

Diagnosis is becoming more precise and rapid because of use 

of biotech tools developed by genetic engineering and related techniques 

or use of proteins produced by hybrid cells in culture. There 

are a number of commercially available rapid diagnostic kits based 

on DNA sequences or proteins e.g., blood glucose monitor and food 

contaminant detectors. Researchers at St Luke’s Medical Center 

led by Dr. Filipinas Natividad have developed a rapid DNA-based test 

for dengue. The common practice of diagnosing dengue is by taking 

blood from the patient at periodic intervals and monitor for decreasing 

platelet number. The DNA-based test requires one blood 

letting only and test results are obtained in one morning. 

A continuing look at all the genes as a dynamic system, over 

time, to determine how they interact and influence biological pathways, 

networks and physiology (genomics) and studying profiles of 

proteins (proteomics), metabolites (metabolomics) and similar 

profiling studies of substances produced by cells and tissues are 

generating more applications that continue to change medical 

practice. Gene therapy (introducing genes to correct a genetic 

defect) and tissue targeting (e.g., developing molecules that recognize 

cancer cells and deliver the right dose of the needed drug) 

are future medical practices. Individualized medical therapy is 

another future practice. Individuals respond to therapeutic drugs 

differently. New information from the life sciences will allow individualized 

medical therapy in the future. 

Food and agriculture is another area that genetic engineering 

is changing. Biopharming is still in the future but now in use are 

genetically modified (GM) crops that improve agricultural production 

and reduce use of environmentally degrading practices such 

as use of agricultural pesticides that reduce biodiversity and cultivation 

that cause soil degradation. Genetic engineering has already 

produced 16 GM crops in commercial cultivation since 1996 

and the rate of adoption of these crops has surpassed that of any 

other agricultural technology. These crops have become 

transgenic either for insect resistance, virus resistance, herbicide 

tolerance or long shelf life/delayed ripening. Traits being transferred 

into common crops such as tolerance to abiotic stress will 

allow cultivation of degraded, saline, drought-prone and such areas 

previously hostile to crop production. More rice will be grown 

in dryland like corn in the future as priority for fresh water use shifts 

to urban centers from agriculture and genetic engineering making 

it possible for rice to grow in such lands. 

Farmers will have an option to grow crops whose properties 

they could change at will to suit the demand of the market. This is 

made possible with a technology that switches genes on and off 

simply by spraying a triggering substance into the plants. 

Agricultural production for energy, plastics and other materials 

previously derived from fossil fuel will also be a change attained 

through genetic engineering. 

Nutritionally improved GM crops are being developed to address 

nutritional deficiencies and this would reinforce poor people’s 

dependence on staples for all their nutritional needs. 

In industrial production, genetic engineering has helped shift 

certain industrial processes into cleaner processes. Thus we shall 

see the eventual demise of smoke stacks and highly polluted waste 

water in certain industries. Genetic engineering shall add more 

value-adding processes for raw materials. 

Stem cell technology 

In the 1970s, a TV adventure series “The $6 Million Dollar 

Man” featured a man whose limbs have been replaced with robotics 

giving him unprecedented strength and capabilities beyond 

limbs made out of flesh. The reality of biotechnology is 

going to be better because the replacements will be newly-made 

limbs similar to the once that were lost. The limbs will be made 

by taking stem cells from the injured person and growing these 

into exactly the same lost limbs. Not only will limbs be replaceable 

but any body part that has become non-functional either 

through accident or disease. Finally, the ability of lower animals 

to regenerate whole limbs will soon be endowed to humans by 

stem cell technology. (Remember, the lizard when it loses its tail 

when you accidentally step on it You are not worried because 

you know it can grow its tail again!) 

There is hope that at the rate stem cell technology is developing, 

the long queues for transplant organs may vanish in the 

future. Instead, victims with diseased organs like hearts, kidneys, 

eyes, etc may in the future go to the hospital to have their stem 

cell extracted and later go back to have their own new organ 

transplanted. Aside from not waiting for organs to be donated, 

these patients will not also worry about organ rejection, another 

life-threatening experience that happens to recipients of organ 

transplants today. 

Genetic testing 

For years, Dr Carmencita Padilla of UP-Manila has studied the 

incidence of genetic disorders caused by the lack of enzymes 

among newborn babies. Having seen a high incidence of about 

33,000 babies affected annually by any of these disorders, she had 

gone to campaign and quite successfully for the inclusion of newborn 

screening in the national health program. Today, newborn 

screening is indeed a part of the national health system and is 

covered by the public health insurance agency, PhilHealth. What 

technique does is to find out if a newborn has anyone of five (5) 

metabolic disorders which can be corrected by an appropriate 

diet but if left unaddressed may cause mental retardation or even 

death. Newborn screening is a form of genetic testing. 

As detailed studies of the human genome and the proteins that 

are involved in human diseases flourish, the number of diseases 

for genetic testing will increase. More genes and proteins associated 

with specific diseases will be identified thus giving society the 

ability to detect early the risks of a newborn baby or an individual to 

succumb to certain diseases. And techniques such as the 

microarray and DNA chips are developing rapidly to screen for a 

multitude of defective genes. 

Genetic profiling 

Genetic profiling (DNA fingerprinting, DNA analysis, DNA profiling 

or DNA testing,) or taking the DNA pattern of individuals is now 

considered the most powerful tool in human identification that aid 

criminal investigation, mass disasters and questioned kinship. 

Genetic profiling is comparable to fingerprinting that it is also referred 

to as DNA fingerprinting. DNA analysis relates the DNA of an 

accused to the DNA of a biological sample found in a crime scene. 

It can denote kinship by comparing the DNA markers found in a


child to its alleged father and other close relatives. This procedure 

has reduced the number of innocent individuals incarcerated by 

circumstantial evidence and by wrongful identification by traumatized 

victims. It has also reduced backlog of court cases, especially 

those characterized by questioned kinship. 

The advent of DNA analysis has removed the drama in fictional 

literature of proving paternity through various circumstantial evidence. 

It appears to be one of the techniques easily accepted by 

the general public that when cases of unidentified corpse, tissues 

or body parts DNA testing is commonly thought of. 

The advent of DNA profiling has led a review of cases of convicted 

criminals. In the US, more than 100 wrongfully convicted individuals 

has been released from jail when DNA patterns in samples 

associated with their supposed crimes did not match with their DNA 

patterns. A similar review has been proposed to the Supreme Court 

as there are now four (4) DNA analysis laboratories in the country. 

Changes in the business community 

Biotechnology started what Wall Street referred to as technology 

companies, companies doing R & D work to develop new 

technologies. In the early years, these were small companies 

founded mostly by scientists. Some of these companies have gone 

on to flourish like Genentech of California but many went bust and 

some were acquired by large pharmaceutical and transnational 

companies. This rapid boom-and-bust cycle for upstart biotech 

companies became a trend for other technology companies like 

those in the information technology. 

Another business practice that gained ground in the business 

community because of biotechnology is venture capital. Venture 

capital refers to money invested in a new business idea of which 

no traditional source of capital like banks is likely to finance. The 

owner of the venture capital becomes a silent partner in the business 

and once the business is thriving, the owner may buy back 

the shares of the venture capitalist and the later moves on to other 

new business. Many of the small biotechnology firms and other 

technology firms of today have been started with venture capital. 

Changes in public behavior engendered 

by biotechnology 

Changes in the scientific community 

Biotechnology gave scientists business ideas and a number 

of them went to business themselves. At the start of the modern 

biotech era in the 1980s, many scientists in the life sciences 

realized the potential of ideas - referred to as intellectual property- 

as a major resource in industrial growth. Hence, there was 

a proliferation of small biotech companies at the start of the modern 

biotech. In the Philippines, the National Institute of Biotechnology 

and Applied Microbiology, now the National Institutes of 

Molecular Biology & Biotechnology at the University of the Philippines 

Los Baños (Biotech, UPLB) was established along this 

concept in 1979. 

The phenomenon of scientists taking their ideas to market is 

one of the profound changes wrought by biotechnology in the 

scientific community. The commercialization of scientific thought 

was considered repugnant by some because the accumulation 

of knowledge is a major resource for industrial growth and is 

believed to be done in the service of the public. However, the 

entry of big business into biotechnology reinforced this trend and 

thus, universities themselves joined the fray. Today, many big 

universities in the US have business offices that protects and 

promote the commercialization of intellectual property generated 

by the faculty. A law was even passed in the US that allows 

that patents can be obtained for intellectual property generated 

from R & D using federal research grants when previously this 

was not allowed. 

Another change is the way plant breeding is undertaken these 

days. If genetic engineering technique is used to develop a crop, 

more research must be undertaken to show that the new variety is 

safe. That is risk management of genetically engineered crops is 

proactive. But for conventionally bred crops, the risk is managed 

only after the danger has been experienced. Many scientists find 

this guideline confusing. 

Another change to note is the rapidly decreasing gap between 

basic and applied research. Understanding the mode of action of 

a bioactive molecule or elucidating the structure of a gene or a 

protein has always been considered basic research. However, increasingly 

this basic information has generated practical applications. 

For example, knowing the basic structure of a gene associated 

with disease can give rise to a very specific and rapid method 

of diagnosing the disease using DNA probes. 

More profound division between the rich and poor 

The staggering cost of certain technologies shall further divide 

society not only along economic lines but along looks. The cost of 

stem cell technology will divide the future population into looks, the 

rich are whole-bodied individuals - no broken limbs, no blind, no 

deaf, healthy kidney, healthy heart, no abnormality and among the 

poor you will find the blind, the lame, the deaf, deaths due to kidney 

failure, diseased heart, etc. 

Practice and business to ensure heath and well-being shall 

also change. One is the submission and storage of umbilical cord 

blood or such similar tissues which can serve as source of stem 

cells. Among the rich, a continuing expense will be the cost of 

maintenance and storage of such tissues. Two pre-need business 

will emerge the business for storage of such tissues and insurance 

that against the need to use the stem cells. 

It should be noted that biotechnology does not always favor the 

rich. The production of insulin by a GMO has actually reduced the 

price of insulin making it more available to more people. The growing 

of GM crops produced by public research institutions like 

PhilRice will provide access by small farmers to the technology 

and thus help them grow more food with more income and less 

exposure to health threatening agricultural practices. 

Changing attitude about living things 

The concept of biotechnology leads to the belief that for every 

technical or medical problem there is a corresponding trait in an 

organism that could be exploited and used as a solution. This 

belief governs the R & D activities in biotechnology and thus gives 

rise to more biotech products. Coupled with the explosion of knowledge 

in molecular biology with using biotech tools and the increasing 

sophistication of equipments and techniques to study 

living molecules, each new knowledge feeds itself to explode into 

more knowledge, more products. This is why the 21st century is 

referred to as the biotech century. 

On the other hand, there is a growing sector of the society that 

promotes natural products and natural processes. This sector will 

continue to grow and surprisingly, biotechnology will foster this growth. 

After all, biotech processes can make the production and isolation 

of natural compounds economically feasible. For example tissue 

culture, a biotech process, can rapidly multiply tissues to economically 

produce a desired natural compound. This is the process used 

in the production of mountain ginseng by a Korean company.


15 

Dr. Saturnina Halos 

Enriching the language 

Genes, GMO, biotech, DNA, genetics are terms that are becoming 

familiar with the average person. The intense debate on 

biotechnology and the attention and introduce more biotech terms 

in the commonly spoken language. 

More guidelines on human behavior 

Biotechnology has engendered a heightened awareness on 

the ethics of scientific developments resulting to public debates. 

The intense debate on biotechnology covers a broad spectrum of 

issues: ethical, moral, legal and safety issues and participated in 

by all sectors of society: religious groups, government representatives, 

scientists, NGOs, lawyers, doctors, etc. These issues have 

created an international movement that bitterly opposes GMOs - 

the anti-GMO movement. This continuing debate proves the width 

and depth of how biotechnology is expected to change society 

and leads to an increasing number of laws and guidelines on 

applications of biotechnology. 

Safety issues on GMOs have imposed biosafety policies both 

at the international level and at the national level. The Cartagena 

Protocol on Biosafety of the Convention on Biological Diversity is 

the first international agreement that imposes safety guidelines on 

the transboundary movement of GMOs that are intended to be 

introduced into the environment. In the Philippines, biosafety policies 

include Executive Order 430 of 1990 and the Department of 

Agriculture Administrative Order No. 8 of 2002. These biosafety 

policies set guidelines on the conduct of biotechnology R & D and 

the handling of biotech plant products to ensure public and environmental 

safety. 

As biotechnology further evolves more and more issues are 

raised and laws and guidelines will be adopted. For example, 

there will be laws to handle genetic information. Genetic testing is 

raising several ethical issues such as “Should one test for a genetic 

disease of which there is no management known Will this 

not lead only to anguish for the individual at risk Will insurers and 

employers routinely demand such tests and use results to discriminate 

against individuals at-risk Raising ethical issues such 

as these helps society decide what to accept and use as standard. 

Most likely genetic screening will become standard for those diseases 

which can be corrected. But for those diseases of which 

there is no cure, the individual will be given a choice to know and 

not to know. And for those who wants to know and are at risk, they 

will probably change their lifestyle and set their goals more specifically. 

Or it could also lead to depressed individuals and a higher 

rate of suicide. On the other hand, such possibility calls for the 

need for genetic counseling. 

Information from research on how genes shape other personal 

traits, such as sexual orientation, intelligence, and social behavior 

will change some rules. Is homosexuality inherited If so, a law will 

probably be needed to change the rejection of homosexuals by 

some segments of society to acceptance. And how about criminal 

behavior, suppose it turns out that criminal behavior is caused by 

defective genes, shall we treat criminals the way we treat the mentally 

imbalanced who committed a crime Are we going to conduct 

mass screening as a preventive measure and monitor individuals 

with defective genes 

If intelligence is controlled in part by genes, should society 

spend more money educating those who lack the genes to compensate 

for this lack or should we concentrate on the genetically 

gifted who could make more use of the education 

The temptation for governments to meddle with the genetics of 

their population has always been great. Some states of the US 

adopted laws to control “overbreeding” by people of poor stock. 

For example, thousands of prostitutes and black women were sterilized 

on the grounds that they were “feeble-minded.” China has a 

law that forbids mentally retarded people from marrying if they have 

not been sterilized. Singapore offers cash rewards to well-educated 

women who have babies. 

Also, as we learn more about our own genes and what they do 

and the facility of genetically engineering cells, the temptation to 

design children will arise. Will society leave the choice to parents 

In one way, this already is being done. Some parents are using 

prenatal tests to choose the sex of their child. In some countries in 

which the culture values boys more than girls, prenatal tests using 

biotech tools are used to check the sex of the fetus. If the fetus is a 

girl, it is aborted. In some cases of in vitro fertilization, the parents 

are already choosing the sex of their child. 

One the early questions raised against biotechnology that various 

religious groups had to ponder is: “Is genetic engineering playing 

God It seems that religious groups have to ponder the question 

on a technique by technique basis. The responsible use of 

genetic engineering is acceptable to the various religious groups, 

including the Roman Catholic Church, but the Church draws the 

line on cloning and stem cell technology. 

Conclusion 

As discussed above the changes wrought by biotechnology 

to culture has been profound. As biotechnology continues to 

evolve, more changes will be expected which I could not possibly 

predict today. 

Paper presented at World Food Day Symposium Oct 10, 2005, 

Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM) Conference Hall, 

BSWM Bldg Elliptical Rd., Quezon City, Philippines


ISAAA helping enhance life through 

WITH the global trend of acquiring new agricultural biotechnologies 

to enhance farm yield, reduce cost and guarantee food 

security, one international organization is making it all happen for 

poor Southeast Asian countries - the International Service for 

Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA). 

ISAAA is a not-for-profit international organization that aims to 

share the benefits of agri-biotech applications to various stakeholders, 

including the resource-poor and small-scale farmers, 

national agricultural research programs, private-sector companies 

and entrepreneurs in developing countries, the global 

environment and the poor urban consumers. 

Mariechel Navarro, PhD, manager of the Global Knowledge 

Center on Crop Biotechnology (KC), said ISAAA aims to facilitate 

the transfer of technologies from one country to another and the 

exchange of experience so that they can learn from one another. 

While ISAAA is supporting the applications of crop biotechnology, 

Navarro said they are merely helping government and the 

people make an informed choice. “It’s like giving them options 

for them to make an informed decision. Governments and 

people, especially the consumers, cannot make an informed 

choice without science-based and factual information,” she 

said. 

KC, on the other hand, promotes public understanding of 

scientific advances in crop biotechnology and their implications 

to food, feed, and fiber security and sustainable agriculture. 

It established Biotechnology Information Centers (BICs) in 

developing countries to respond to specific information needs 

and to promote and advance broader public understanding of 

crop biotechnology. There are four fully operational national/ 

regional BICs. 

The Thailand Biotechnology Information Center based at the 

Plant Genetic Engineering Unit, Kasetsart University in Thailand; 

the Philippine Biotechnology Information Center based at the 

SEAMEO Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in 

Agriculture in Los Baños, Laguna; the Malaysia Biotechnology 

Information Center hosted by the Monash University Malaysia in 

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and the AfriCenter in Kenya, Africa, in 

collaboration with Africa Biotechnology Stakeholders Forum. 

ISAAA’s strategy consists of four key components 

Priority identification 

Technology Appraisal 

Project Implementation 

• Services for the Enabling Environment 

Navarro said ISAAA helps identify needs and priorities 

identified by developing countries to start with. Once needs and 

priorities have been pinpointed, the move starts to evaluate and 

facilitate the acquisition of new crop biotechnology applications 

suited for that country or region. 

In the Philippines, for instance, it is helping facilitate the 

application of genetically modified (GM) crops. The latest GM 

crop was the controversial Bt corn that was approved for commercial 

release in December 2002. 

ISAAA implements a portfolio of crop biotechnology projects 

that would benefit stakeholders. Currently, it is focused on the 

Africa Project Portfolio and the Asian Project Portfolio. 

At the same time, ISAAA provides advice and services to 

assist in the development of an enabling environment to support 

Dr. Mariechel Navarro 

ISAAA also facilitates biotechnology 

fellowships to build biotechnology 

capacity and sustainability in national 

program. So far, more than 50 fellows 

have already received training awards 

and have led technology transfer 

projects and regulatory activities in their 

respective countries. 

the safe application of crop biotechnology. 

The Asian Project Portfolio involved the setting up of a 

Papaya Biotechnology Regional Network for Southeast Asia in 

March 1998 to address two major constraints — the papaya 

ring-spot virus and significant post-harvest losses. With the help 

of ISAAA SEAsia Center, national agricultural research programs 

are now being carried out by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, 

Thailand and Vietnam, and two private-sector companies, 

Monsanto and Syngenta. 

In the Philippines, the GM papaya, one with virus resistance 

that would protect it from papaya ringspot virus and another with 

delayed ripening trait are currently in the pipeline of the Institute 

of Plant Breeding (IPB) at the University of the Philippines - Los 

Baños, which is at the forefront of the country’s research and 

development of crops. 

Aside from GM papaya, IPB is also studying the possibility of 

making Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) eggplant due to its potential 

agricultural benefit to a big volume of vegetable farmers shifting 

from other crops to eggplant farming. 

A team of experts is now working on the genetic engineering 

of Bt eggplant owing to the increased consumer demand and 

corresponding increase in production volume over the last five 

years.


17 

biotechnology 

Dr. Desiree M. Hautea, director of the IPB-UPLB said 

eggplant, or talong, now shares a production volume of 20,000 

hectares, even higher than that of rice and tomato. A study 

conducted by IPB further revealed that farmers’ net profit in 

farming eggplant reaches up to P175,000 for every hectare of 

farmland. 

Vegetable shares 70 percent of farm lands in the country, and 

squash remains on top with a share of 16 percent. Eggplant is 

next at 11 per cent and tomato is now down to third with 10- 

percent share. 

There is an increased demand for eggplant in the market 

today despite the fact that it requires heavy use of pesticides. 

The use of pesticides results in higher production cost and may 

pose health and environmental hazards. 

Panfilo de Guzman, M. Sc., associate scientist for the ISAAA 

SEAsia Center, said the development of GM papaya is expected 

to help the five countries to collectively work on research and 

development. 

“We help facilitate the sharing of knowledge, technology, 

information, and experiences in all aspects of biotechnology,” he 

said. 

He said this would help improve the quality of life of poor 

farming families in Southeast Asia by enhancing income 

generation, food production, nutrition, and productivity. 

“Of course, environment safety is among our priorities that’s 

why we help these countries share information and experience 

so that risks are minimized,” de Guzman said. 

Among areas where papaya is widely grown are Cavite, 

Laguna and Camarines Sur in Luzon and Misamis Oriental, 

Davao del Sur and South Cotabato in Mindanao. 

In Vietnam, local scientists are working on the development 

and transfer of insect-resistant sweet potatoes. ISAAA supported 

the training of Vietnamese scientists, who are conducting 

transformation of major cultivars of sweet potato in the 

country. 

ISAAA also facilitates fellowships to build biotechnology 

capacity and sustainability in national programs. So far, more 

than 50 fellows have already received training awards and have 

led technology-transfer projects and regulatory activities in their 

respective countries. 

Meanwhile, the Africa Project Portfolio involved the establishment 

of the ISAAA AfriCenter. The Center actively supports three 

projects, namely, introduction and farm-level evaluation of new 

biotechnologies for banana, fast growing multipurpose trees, 

and sweet potato. The three projects are being conducted in 

partnership with the Kenyan Agricultural Research Institute, 

farmer cooperatives, local private companies and collaborators 

in Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda. 

Presently, ISAAA is planning to broaden its reach through 

interlinked programs in Africa and Asia. National and regional 

projects will be complemented by global projects on major food 

crops, where constraints and desirable traits are shared across 

continents. 

ISAAA intends to look for opportunities to develop global 

projects that focus on improvements in major staple food crops 

to help reduce poverty and hunger and defeat malnutrition. 

(Jonathan L. Mayuga) 

Doctors can now determine if a newly born baby 

faces the risk of acquiring a life-threatening illness 

LBDH all-out for newborn screening 

IN the Philippines, thousands of newborn babies face the 

risk of getting life-threatening illnesses each year for not 

undergoing newborn screening (NBS). These illnesses can, 

however, be prevented if NBS is done immediately after 

the baby is born. 

From 2000 to 2004, the Los Baños Doctors Hospital 

(LBDH) conducted NBS for 1,487 newborns. From this 

number, 70 babies were found to have metabolic disorders. 

The Philippine government is equally supportive of this 

newborn-screening procedure. It has enacted RA 9288, a 

law that mandates all professionals (doctors and related 

health professionals) to advocate the importance of NBS. 

Dr. Rowena Andres-Pua, chief of LBDH’s Pediatrics 

Department, aggressively started the newborn-screening 

education, first among LBDH medical and nursing staff 

and later among nurses, midwives and other health providers 

of Regional Health Units in Southern Tagalog. 

Dr. Pua and her staff, Marilo Felix, embarked on NBS 

Awareness and Advocacy Program. So Far, they have conducted 

awareness seminars for 971 pregnant mothers in 

the CALABARZON area. 

For this work, the Canadian International Development 

Agency has recognized Dr. Pua as one of the certified NBS 

lecturers in the country. 

NBS is a simple procedure. It is done by drawing blood 

sample from the baby’s heel 24 to 48 hours after the baby 

is born. It s important because a baby who is having a lifethreatening 

illness may appear perfectly healthy, and yet by 

the time symptoms become visible the damage can no 

longer be treated. 

Through NBS, a baby can be found to have an inability 

to break down sugars within milk. With this procedure, 

the baby can at once be treated by simply changing the 

diet. If not detected, the baby may later die or become 

retarded. (SEARCA-BIC)


A budding partnership 

Tribal chieftains sign covenant with Department of Agriculture on biotechnology applications in upland farming. 

By MAI B. GEVERA 

IT TOOK weeks and a lot of talking 

before some tribal leaders from 

Matigsalog and Manobo groups in Davao 

were finally convinced to listen to the government. 

It was hard to get the trust of a group 

that for many years have not benefited 

from a single development program of 

the government. 

Though a bit hesitant and doubtful 

on what to encounter in the organized 

forum for the indigenous people (IPs), 

the group of Datu Edgardo Laidan and 

Datu Mampudya Luas trudged several 

kilometers from home to attend the biotechnology 

workshop at the Seagull Resort 

in Davao City on August 30. 

Escorted by some armed men, doubt 

was clearly seen on the looks and movements 

of both “datus.” However, to leave 

their obligations for their family and for 

their tribal people is already a good show 

of trying to open up for the projects and 

programs of the government especially 

designed for the IPs. 

Silence filled the four corners of the 

session hall when the speakers started to 

talk about the issues in biotechnology. 

Silence might mean disinterest. However, 

when the participants finally started 

to give their comments, personal experiences 

and suggestions, it was only then that 

the biotech team concluded that the 

Lumads are really concerned with how 

they could improve agriculture and increase 

the quality and quantity of production. 

Manobo Datu Laidan admitted that 

it was the first time that the government 

has reached out and educated his tribe 

about significant issues in the lives of the 

IPs like biotechnology. 

Laidan, emotionally narrated how the 

tribespeople have hated and felt indifferent 

to the government for they had neither 

seen any effort nor received benefits 

from the many programs supposedly 

targetting IPs like them. 

He shared how they felt isolated from 

the growth and development happening 

at the center. “We are always forgotten. 

That is the reason that we have learned 

to live on our own and distanced ourselves 

from the government,” Datu Luas 

said in the vernacular. 

Both tribes remained isolated brought 

by this thinking. For quite sometime, they 

were so firm not to participate or involve 

themselves in any project of the state. 

Along with this indifference, their 

community had a hard time increasing 

their yield. With most of them relying on 

income from planting banana, potato, and 

vegetables, the Lumads remained backward 

on their techniques, tools and strategies 

in agriculture. 

Poverty remained a major hindrance 

to their development despite unity and 

solidarity shown by the tribal folk. 

It was during that time that the leaders 

realized the importance of modern technology, 

especially to achieve the level of a 

progressive community. But technology 

transfer is another problem encountered 

by the tribes. They could hardly find a 

medium that would educate them on 

modern farming techniques and strategies. 

When the Biotechnology Coalition of 

the Philippines scheduled a forum for the 

IPs in the city, Datu Laidan and Datu Luas 

accepted the call. They couldn’t hide grati- 

tude for such opportunity. 

Scientists, government authorities, and 

even a representative from the Church 

shared inputs on biotechnology’s ethical 

and technical aspects, as well as the advantages 

it brings to the society. 

Biotech advocates admitted that the 

biotech team failed to tap the IP sector 

during the early stage of the information 

campaign. However, in the process the 

team has realized that the most affected 

sector that ought to be informed about 

biotech is the IP-farmer group. 

Philippine Rice Research Institute 

(PhilRice), as one of the partners of such 

advocacy, committed technical assistance 

to the Lumads by giving free adaptation 

crop trial in order for the IP’s to 

determine the variety best suited for their 

soil type. The institution committed to 

give one to two kilos each of the six 

rice varieties. 

Also, PhilRice is willing to provide 

avenues for technology transfer like the 

use of Leaf Color Chart (LCC) and the 

Minus One Element Technique (MOET), 

the tools to improve nutrient-use. 

On the IPs’ part, the tribal leaders expressed 

commitment to open their doors 

to the budding partnership. Datu Laidan 

stressed the Lumads’ lack of knowledge 

in terms of modern farming techniques. 

“At first, we were hesitant and afraid 

to engage in programs and projects of 

the government. Now that we have heard 

from you and really understand the information, 

this partnership would really 

bring us somewhere,” Laidan said. 

The two-day Biotech Forum ended 

with smiles and hopes from the IPs’ and 

all the advocates’ faces. (PIA)


19 

Nueva Vizcaya creates first ever 

task force on biotechnology; 

LGUs, farmers empowered by 

knowledge and technology sharing 

By JOE GALVEZ 

Nueva Vizcaya Vice Governor Jose Gambito (second from right) discusses the 

potentials in biotechnology with Arnichem president, Dr. Ponciano Halos (right), 

DA-BPIU Director Alice Ilaga (second from left) and Sangguniang Panlalawigan 

Board Member Glenn Afan (left) during the seminar/workshop for LGU officials, 

municipal and provincial agriculturists, and the academe. 

IN AN effort to spearhead the applications 

of biotechnology in the countryside, 

local government officials from Nueva 

Vizcaya’s 15 municipalities decided to 

create the first-ever task force on 

biotechnology, which government 

considers as a priority program for 

agricultural development. 

The move to create the first task force 

advocating the use of biotechnology was 

initiated by Solano Sangguniang Bayan 

Member Clarita Calica at the two-day 

seminar-workshop conducted by the 

Department of Agriculture-Biotechnology 

Program Implementation Unit (DA-BPIU) 

at the Villa Margarita Resort in 

Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya. 

Calica said that while the task force’s 

primary concern is to coordinate with 

biotechnology experts from the DA and 

the Department of Science and Technology 

to address issues and concerns 

surrounding the scientific processes, it 

shall also serve as a technical working 

group on biotechnology in the province. 

She said the task force will consist of 

local government officials as well as 

municipal and provincial agricultural 

officers. It will also tap the invaluable 

contribution of the academe and 

religious sector. 

“We will promote not only the 

technology but the products as well,” 

Calica said. “We will also make sure that 

the technology is well-understood by the 

stakeholders and the end users.” 

She said the task force is also 

mandated to monitor and evaluate 

reports of incidents regarding biotechnology 

and to submit reports to the DA for 

validation and action. 

Calica added that the adoption of 

biotechnology by farmers in this province 

is not an easy process because antibiotechnology 

advocates, led by a parish 

priest from one municipality, have been 

actively campaigning to make farmers 

use organic farming rather than shift to 

Bt corn. 

“With this task force, farmers will 

have a broader perspective on what this 

technology is all about,” Calica said. 

“With this knowledge, farmers are free 

to choose on whether they should shift 

to Bt corn or other biotechnology crops 

in the future.” 

Sangguniang Panlalawigan Board 

Member Glenn Afan lauded the group’s 

effort to make biotechnology more 

accessible to farmers who wish to avail 

of the technology to increase their yields. 

As the principal author of Resolution 

2005-238 requesting the DA to provide 

technical information and service to the 

provincial government on biotechnology, 

Afan hailed the group’s desire to disseminate 

biotechnology information to 

the province’s farmers and entrepreneurs. 

“I have heard so much about biotechnology 

that is why I suggested to the 

provincial government that we seek the 

assistance of the DA in availing and 

learning more of this technology so our 

farmers will benefit from it,” Afan said. “I 

believe that this effort will be a big help 

to the farmers especially the 

marginalized ones.” 

Nueva Vizcaya Vice Governor Jose 

Gambito said the creation of the task 

force on biotechnology is an opportunity 

for everybody to learn more about the 

technology. 

He said that in Nueva Vizcaya, the


Reynaldo Cagmat of Secura, UP Prof. Oscar Ferrer, SB Member Clarita Calica and Oscar Marcelo. 

Dr. Jerry Serapion of PhilRice, Municipal Agriculture Officer Bella Ancheta, BMARC’s Nanette Tanyag and UP Prof. Dr. Enerlea Cao 

provincial government is focused on 

upgrading agriculture as a profession, 

whether the stakeholder is a teacher, a 

tricycle driver or a government employee. 

“Since we are an agricultural area, 

we should really look at the technology 

and its benefits,” Gambito said. 

He said that the provincial government 

is open to this development, particularly in 

the shift from the regular use of chemical 

fertilizers to biotech fertilizers. 

“This is a landmark for biotechnology 

and agriculture,” DA-BPIU Director Alice 

Ilaga said. “This is the first time we are 

creating a task force not only to promote 

but to sustain as well.” 

Ilaga said the key movers in the 

province will help the DA identify those 

who are directly involved. She called the 

task force members as “the pillars of 

biotech” in the province. 

First indeed in idea and initiative, the 

local government unit (LGU) of Nueva 

Vizcaya has made a giant stride in 

information dissemination. 

In the last four years, DA has been in 

the thick of advocating the use of 

biotechnology in agriculture and has 

successfully tapped nongovernment 

organizations (NGOs) and local chief 

executives to be partners in advocating 

the technology among farmers to ensure 

food security in their areas. 

While few provinces like Mindoro 

and Bohol await the opening of their 

windows to the practical viability of 

biotechnology crops, their leaders’ 

preference for organic non-Bt farming 

and crops have so far left their provinces 

behind in terms of agricultural growth. 

On the other hand, most of mainland 

Luzon provinces like Nueva Vizcaya, 

Isabela, Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija, 

Cagayan, Pampanga, Bulacan and 

Bataan are now in the midst of increasing 

their hectarage of Bt corn. 

In provinces that have allowed 

biotechnological processes, prospects 

for higher crop yields are better. 

“We cannot blame the provincial and 

some municipal governments in 

Mindoro and Bohol if they want to be left 

behind by a highly modernized agriculture,” 

Ilaga said. “Planting Bt corn and 

the application of biotechnology on 

agricultural crops is a choice that the 

farmers are free to make.” 

Ilaga said that farmers should only 

plant Bt corn if infestation of the Asian 

corn borer is beyond control by pesticides 

and insecticides. 

The DA is aggressively campaigning 

to reduce, if not eradicate, the use of 

toxic chemicals like pesticides and 

insecticides on crops. 

Among the resource speakers who 

conducted the two-day workshop were 

Dr. Enerlea Cao, head of the Natural 

Science Research Institute (NSRI) of the 

University of the Philippines (UP), 

Diliman, UP sociology Prof. Oscar 

Ferrer, communications specialist 

Oscar Marcelo and Dr. Jerry Serapion of 

the Philippine Rice Research Institute 

(PhilRice). 

In the first celebration of the National 

Biotechnology Week last July, former DA 

Secretary Arthur Yap and League of 

Municipalities of the Philippines President 

Ramon Guico signed a memorandum 

of understanding that enables the 

DA and LGUs to make biotechnology 

information and products accessible to 

farmers.


21 

Learning about 

biotechnology 

the fun way 

HERE’S a fun way to learn about biotechnology and genetically 

modified crops: K-Quest. 

K-Quest, a board game about biotechnology was developed 

especially for a group of science journalists who participated in a 

two-day workshop, dubbed “Understanding and Having Fun with 

Biotechnology,” on September 28 and 29 at the Southeast Asian 

Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture 

(SEARCA) Biotechnology Information Center in Los Baños, Laguna. 

Inspired by the popular board game “Snake and Ladder,” K- 

Quest (K for knowledge) stimulates the processes that a biotech 

crop undergoes from the laboratory to farmers’ fields in the Philippines. 

Dr. Mariechel Navarro, manager of the Global Knowledge 

Center of the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech 

Applications (ISAAA) in the Philippines said the game intends to 

make players realize that biotech or genetically modified (GM) 

crops don’t just pop out in the market as these products had to 

undergo a series of processes or steps before commercial release. 

People with no biotech background, especially children, could 

easily learn about biotech and biotech crops and their benefits to 

farmers and end-consumers by simply playing the game. 

“We want to make people realize that GM crops like Bt corn are 

safe to eat and growing Bt corn does not endanger people and 

environment. It is much safer than fruits and vegetables sprayed with 

pesticides,” she said. 

The game makes use of a dice and sets of questions for each of 

the six steps or stages, namely: (1) laboratory; (2) field trial; (3) food; 

(4) environmental safety tests; (5) multilocational trials, and; (6) commercialization. 

The game can be played by three to six players and 

a middleman. 

The objective is to beat the other players to the finish line. 

Starting from the first step (laboratory), a player must draw a card 

which the middleman will read, passing through four other stages 

before the final stage (commercialization). The player who answers 

the question correctly will cast the dice and move forward. The trick 

is to get the correct answer and be lucky enough to stop on a block 

with a ladder for the shortcut and reach the final destination to win 

the game. 

The questions range from easy to difficult as the players inch 

closer to the finish line. 

Navarro said they are planning to patent the game for ISAAA 

and produce K-Quest so that the people, especially housewives, 

will learn about biotech and biotech crops like Bt corn and other 

genetically modified crops, and have fun at the same time. 

(Jonathan L. Mayuga) 

Above is ISAAA 

Global 

Knowledge 

Center’s K-Quest 

board game 

designed to make 

learning Biotech 

the fun way. At 

right are some of 

the enthusiastic 

science 

journalists trying 

to crack a 

biotech quiz 

being read by 

Maria Inez Ponce 

de Leon, a 

Reasearch 

Fellow of Global 

Knowledge 

Center on Crop 

Biotechnology 

during funtime in 

Los Baños, 

Laguna. ISAAA 

plans to make 

the new 

boardgame 

available in 

schools and 

households.


Dr. Arsenio 

Balisacan 

Being candid 

on biotechnology, 

agriculture 

and governance 

By JOEL C. PAREDES 

“IT IS a new thing. You don’t expect to know velop indigenous technology out of the science.” 

everything.” 

Dr. Balisacan is also convinced that genetically 

This, in a gist, was how Dr. Arsenio Balisacan modified organizations, or GMOs, are potentially useful. 

“If you know how to exploit these germs,” he ex- 

suggested how the Philippines should handle modern 

biotechnology. There are scientific innovations, and the plains, “you can bring them here and tinker with them 

world is being peddled with its new-found applications. further, improve upon, customize them to the kind 

“And just like in any business, I think we do appreciate of environment we have.” 

what the risks are and that they have to do with our The country’s former agriculture undersecretary 

available knowledge,” he says. “We expect to learn as also agrees that the country must have a system that 

we go on,” he says. 

will respond to problematic areas quickly if problems 

Some may not agree with Dr. Balisacan, but he’s emerged. 

dead-serious in such an unsolicited advice. He is no “But if we have a very strict regulatory system, it’s 

longer in the bureaucracy and is now administering going to be negative. But how do we correct our regulatory 

system if it becomes counter-productivity to 

the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate 

Study and Research in Agriculture, an international the sign of the times” 

Organization (Searca), but he remains outspoken in He insists that this has got to be done. “But that 

his view on agriculture, not only as a key to national means you have to have a strong research system which 

development but in the Philippines’ positioning in a we don’t have.” 

highly globalized economy. 

“We have a very sporadic, very weak research system, 

especially at the applied level,” says Dr. Balisacan. 

“For many poor countries like the Philippines, you 

don’t really have to start all over again,” says Dr. “Well, even our basic research system is in bad shape. 

Balisacan, citing the case of Thailand, which remains And there’s a very weak link between what the farmers 

are actually experiencing and what the researchers 

strict in its regulations, but has been complementing 

it with a “very strong” research system that can de- 

are doing.”


23 

Our human capital 

Recently, Balisacan conferred again 

with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, 

and he candidly pointed out the importance 

of education and modern science 

if the country intends to get agricultureled 

economic growth. 

Convinced that there was a need to 

develop technical expertise and enhance 

managerial skills of agriculture professionals, 

he agreed to head Searca, where 

he has been tasked to implement its eight 

five-year plan, which also involves not 

only post-graduate training, but also conducting 

appropriate research to help address 

poverty and food security concerns, 

among others. 

Balisacan laments that while our Asean 

neighbors are investing on their scientists, 

the Philippines does not as scientists continue 

to receive meager salaries and lack 

the necessary incentives. 

“The problem in our national leadership 

is that they don’t have a good appreciation 

of science,” he says. He also cites 

the problem actually boils down to governance. 

“We have Filipinos as consultants 

“The national strategy 

for poverty must focus 

on addressing the 

fundamental causes of 

low productivity, and 

these are: low 

investment in rural 

infrastructure, human 

capital, agricultural 

R&D, and information; 

poor governance of 

support services, and; 

high ‘cost of doing 

business’ owing to 

inefficient and archaic 

regulatory systems.” 

in every corner of the world,” he says. “If 

you put the Filipino where there is good 

governance, it works. They shine.” 

In one of Searca’s policy brief series, 

Balisacan also wrote on the need to 

focus on agriculture and rural development. 

“Investment in rural development 

has high social payoffs,” he says. “However, 

the agriculture sector has remained 

weak in generating respectable output 

growth.” 

Among major Asian economies, the 

Philippines turned out to have the lowest 

average agricultural growth rate during 

the past two decades, averaging only one 

percent over year in the 1980s and 1.6 

percent in the 1990s. 

His recommendation: “The national 

strategy for poverty must focus on addressing 

the fundamental causes of low 

productivity, and these are: low investment 

in rural infrastructure, human capital, 

agricultural R&D, and information; 

poor governance of support services, 

and; high ‘cost of doing business’ owing 

to inefficient and archaic regulatory 

systems.”


Searca has been instrumental in developing 

the institutional capabilities of the 

President Fidel V. Ramos. 

Indeed, cynics are likely to say that 

that “it’s really difficult to have different 

world views.” 

agricultural sectors in the Philippines and Balisacan remains an academician, and He didn’t cite new programs during 

its Southeast Asian neighbors. One of its couldn’t just cope with the realities of running 

government. 

called the case of the Green Revolution 

his stint in government. Instead he re- 

major interventions is providing scholarships 

for post-gradate studies in an effort True, he had been with the academe during the Marcos administration. “It 

“to develop a critical mass of people, of since 1983 when he worked as graduate was controversial in the beginning. Even 

leaders for the general sector.” 

teaching assistant while pursuing his doctorate 

degree, at the University of Ha- 

fears that it only benefited chemical and 

in the academic community, there were 

Dr. Balisacan says he has become 

more optimistic that Southeast Asian nations 

are now surpassing the fears that pines in Los Baños in 1987, and later as marginalize small farmers. Of course it 

waii, joining the University of the Philip- 

fertilizer producers and it will 

biotechnology was the breeding ground director for research and professor of didn’t happen,” he says. 

for “Franken food” now that the science economics in UP Diliman. 

“The only reason it didn’t last long is 

community says these were largely unfounded. 

“But to me, the good marginal confidence 

would be that you look at the 

entire body of (available) literature,” he 

says. “So now the question is not really 

so much about risk, but whether we are 

putting a system that will allow us to address 

these when they do arise.” 

Balisacan, who holds a PhD in economics 

from the University of Hawaii, has 

been known to be critical of some of 

government’s economic interventions, 

particularly in agriculture, but his published 

works on development work were, nevertheless, 

appreciated by national leaders, 

among them President Arroyo and former 

What is to be done 

Balisacan says he left the confines of 

the academe during the Estrada administration, 

hoping he can contribute his 

share in helping government pursue rural 

agricultural development. When he joined 

the DA in 2000, he admits having been 

convinced that he shared a common perspective 

with then Agriculture Secretary 

Edgardo Angara on the need to prioritize 

three important areas: the importance 

of human capital; modern science, and; 

good governance, particularly in the delivery 

of support services. 

There was really no straight answer 

on why he quit the job, other than saying 

because we had poor governance... we 

did not continue to manage agriculture 

in the rural sector. The benefits that were 

forthcoming were not sustained.” 

Balisacan says that there’s much that 

can be done. 

For instance, he says that government 

has to move fast to improve the agriculture 

and rural sectors. He says that Agriculture 

Secretary Domingo Panganiban 

has the experience and knowledge of what 

it takes to get these sectors moving again. 

For starters, he suggests a “credible” 

road map for the agricultural sector. 

“But he (Panganiban) has to be supported. 

It takes more than seeds and 

machines for seeds to grow.” 

SEARCA at UP Los Banos


25 

Farmers are availing themselves of opportunities in entrepreneurial work 

Through 

biotechnology, 

farmers can become 

businessmen 

By JUN ARIOLO N. AGUIRRE 

MANY people think of farmers as those who 

plant and harvest certain agricultural 

crops. 

But not biotechnology! 

For the last 30 years, the Aklan State 

University (ASU) in Banga has been teaching 

both students and farmers farming 

techniques and entrepreneurship through 

the so-called one-stop shop using e-commerce. 

Agriculture expert Dr. Benny Palma, 

also president of ASU, told this writer in an 

interview that the university has been setting 

unprecedented performance in agriculture 

in the Western Visayas region. 

In fact, the university has been given 

recognition by the Bureau of Plants and 

Industry (BPI) for its successful hybridization 

project. The BPI, through its National 

Seed Center, has awarded the ASU initiative 

for the best hybridization of 

Magallanes with Davao Pomelo called 

Aguilar 1. The Aguilar 1 project is in honor 

of former ASU President Dr. Helmar 

Aguilar. 

Also, both the National Fruit Center 

and the National Seed Center recognized 

ASU’s high-end variety of rambutan as a 

national winner. 

At present, the university is formulating 

the first variety of a seedless rambutan using 

the Gibberellic Acid technology — a 

synthetic plant hormone. The abstract was 

also awarded as a winner for regional R&D 

and E held recently in Iloilo City. 

Dr. Palma said the ASU has established 

some components for both agriculture 

students and farmers wherein they will 

be taught the application of a technology 

for certain agricultural crops. 

This is through the one-stop information 

shop considered as a vehicle for tech- 

nology transfer to farmers. The farmers 

can also avail themselves of the services 

on incubator project through mass propagation 

and entrepreneurial demo farms. 

For several years, the ASU through the 

Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) has 

been training farmers to become “professors” 

for their colleagues in the field and 

is teaching them how to be entrepreneurs. 

Through a website funded by the Development 

Bank of the Philippines, farmers 

can now showcase their agricultural 

products on the Internet. The prospective 

foreign buyers can information about the 

products through photos and feature stories 

that could encourage them to order 

such agricultural crops. 

In the meantime, farmers from 10 out 

of 17 municipalities in the province are 

enjoying the biotechnology initiative developed 

by the ASU. 

Aside from e-commerce, agricultural 

students and farmers can avail themselves 

of a loan to the ASU through their respective 

local government. The LGUs are giving 

start-up capital to those interested to 

invest in agricultural technologies for poverty 

alleviation. 

While the future of biotechnology using 

e-commerce is vast, the ASU is presently 

establishing consolidation building 

for farmers. 

“This building is aimed to gather the 

produced agricultural crops in the province 

and, upon consolidation, we immediately 

sell them directly to the consumers,” 

Dr. Palma said. 

In the province, agricultural crops 

have a high demand since thousands of 

both foreign and local tourists flock to 

nearby Boracay Island monthly. 

While the consolidation building is still 

being constructed, the Aklan farmers are 

having difficulty in supplying the needed 

demand for agricultural demand on 

Boracay, a premier tourism destination. 

Because of this, resort owners had to 

order fruits and vegetables and other agricultural 

crops, including meat, from 

Baguio, Cebu, Davao and others to augment 

the supply for tourists. 

“For example, we need at least one 

ton of eggplant a day to answer the growing 

demand to be consumed by both foreign 

and local tourists,” Dr. Palma said. 

According to the Department of Tourism, 

the number of both foreign and local 

tourists visiting the island is dramatically 

increasing because of Bali bombings in 

Indonesia and the tsunami in Thailand last 

year, among others.


BIOTECHNOLOGY AROUND THE WORLD 

Bt COTTON GROWERS RISING IN PUNJAB 

BATHINDA, India (The Economic Times): With tion is 5.8 lakh hectares. Of this, just 6-7 percent of 

farmers increasingly sowing the high-yielding, disease-resistant 

Bollgard (Bt) cotton, land under Bt A visit to several fields in Bathinda district, which is 

the area is occupied by Bt cotton. 

variety cultivation in Punjab is expected to jump to also known as cotton belt, has shown that sowing of Bt 

18-20 percent from the current 6-7 percent of the cotton has led to an increase of roughly 40 percent in 

total area under cotton cultivation. 

the cotton yield, besides saving farmers the cost of 

“Now, the Punjab farmers have started seeing pesticides and insecticides considerably. 

the advantages of sowing Bt cotton against conventional 

cotton. Therefore, majority of the farmers tals per acre with conventional seeds but with the 

“Earlier, I used to get a cotton yield of 7 quin- 

are expected to grow Bt cotton thereby increasing sowing of Bt cotton, the yield has jumped to 10 

the land under Bt cotton cultivation to 18-20 percent 

next year,” said Joginder Singh, renowned 4,500 per acre on pesticides and insecticides for 

quintals per acre. Moreover, I used to spend Rs 

cotton expert and ex-head of the department of saving the crop from pests. But with Bt cotton I 

Entomology, Punjab Agricultural University. have saved this money also,” said Raghbir Singh, 

In Punjab, the total land under cotton cultiva- a cotton grower at Gatwali village. 

LOW COST SPEARHEADS CHINA DRIVE INTO BIOTECH 

LONDON: China aims to become a leading It appears to be bearing fruit, with China currently 

having more than 150 experimental drugs 

player in the fast-growing biotechnology sector 

by capitalizing on research costs that are one in clinical trials and a handful of Chinese-developed 

biotech products already reaching the local 

fifth those of Europe or the United States, a top 

official said. 

market, including the world’s first licensed gene 

In the past, the country’s drug industry has therapy treatment. 

largely consisted of manufacturing cheap generics Wang predicted a coming boom for Chinese 

and producing traditional Chinese medicine. biotech, driven by low costs and the scale of the 

Now the government is making biotechnology Chinese market. 

a priority, Professor Wang Hongguang, director “The cost of biomedical research in China is 

general of the China National Center for Biotechnology 

Development, told a pharmaceutical contries,” 

he told the conference, which was orga- 

only about 20 percent of the cost in Western counference 

in London. 

nized by the Financial Times. 

The change is reflected in some startling figures. 

China already boasts more than 20 biotech Chinese biotech companies, such as vaccine spe- 

So far, there are only a handful of successful 

parks dotted around the country and 500 biotech cialist Sinovac Biotech (SVA.A: Quote, Profile, Research) 

and SiBiono Gene Technology. 

enterprises, he said. 

Some 300 of these companies are focused But the emergence of a pipeline of new drugs 

on medicine, with the balance mainly targeting suggests more could follow, increasing the incentive 

for Western companies to tap into the country’s 

agriculture. 

The Chinese government and local governments 

have both been active in supporting the sec- 

Several major drug companies already have 

science base. 

tor, with total state funding last year reaching the a research presence in the country, including 

equivalent of 270 million euros ($325 million). Switzerland’s Roche Holding AG (ROG.VX: Quote, 

The aim is to nurture home-grown enterprises Profile, Research) and Novo Nordisk (NOVOb.CO: 

and encourage inward investment from foreign Quote, Profile, Research), both of which have a 

companies. 

strong focus in biotech. 

EUROPE COURT OVERRULES AUSTRIA PROVINCE’S BAN ON GM CROPS 

LUXEMBOURG/VIENNA (DPA): The European 

Court (EC) recently overruled a self proclaimed 

ban by the province of Upper Austria on planting 

genetically modified crops. 

The Court gave support on all points to the EU 

Commission, which in 2003 had rejected Upper 

Austria’s application to be a “GM-free zone”. 

The court said that Upper Austria, and the 

Republic of Austria which backed its case, had failed 

to prove that the province bordering Germany and 

the Czech Republic had “an unusual or unique 

ecological system”. 

In its case against the commission’s decision, 

Upper Austria had used an analysis by Werner 

Mueller, gene technology specialist of the environment 

organization Global 2000. 

The expert argued that due to Upper Austria’s 

small-structured agriculture, the planting of GM, 

“biological” and conventional crops side by side 

was not possible. 

Besides rejecting this claim, the European 

Court ruled that Austria had not countered an expert 

opinion by the European Food Safety Authority, 

according to which the planting of gene-altered 

crops posed no risk for the environment in the 

area. 

Upper Austria had not even determined 

whether GM organisms were actually present in 

the region, the court also dismissed Upper Austria’s 

claim that it had not been allowed a hearing. 

In its first reaction, Upper Austria’s officials responsible 

for agriculture, Josef Stockinger and Rudi 

Anschober, said the EU Court had given competition 

law priority over the province’s health concerns. 

Making 

By CARLOS D. MARQUEZ JR. 

THE country’s leading agricultural agency, 

Philippine Rice Research Institute 

(PhilRice), is playing a sublime role in instilling 

the significance of biotechnology 

in the minds of the people. 

“A large part of the people don’t understand 

biotechnology, but they are willing. 

Right now, they have already the theoretical 

impression of Golden Rice, and that 

is enough for us to move on,” says Dr. 

Antonio Alfonso, who head the PhilRice 

Plant Breeding and Biotechnology. 

Alfonso echoes the general mood in 

PhilRice after initially succeeding in its feed 

of biotechnology realities among their 

various stakeholders. The recent opening 

of PhilRice Biotech-Intellectual Property 

Rights (IPR) Training Center in its central 

experiment station compound in Muñoz 

Science City in Nueva Ecija is proof to 

this. 

The center, one of the components 

of the Department of Agriculture National 

Genomic and Biotechnology Research, 

Training and Information Center, 

houses 30 thin-client computers linked to 

the Internet prior art search. These information 

technology tools provide stakeholders 

skills enhancement and management 

of intellectual property rights. 

The Biotech IPR Center tops the 

other tangible indicators of biotechnological 

success in the country. For local 

scientists, making people more aware of 

the key significance of biotechnology 

equates the Filipinos’ revered values with 

the prospects and realities of survival in 

science. It respects the people’s indigenous 

beliefs in pursuing scientific goals. 

PhilRice Executive Director Dr. 

Leocadio Sebastian, whose eyes verbalizes 

PhilRice’s enthusiasm, says: “We have 

only to consider some points in selling 

biotechnology as a product. What do the 

consumers want The [rice] millers and 

traders But the farmers’ immediate and 

long-time benefits in accepting it.” 

Since its creation by virtue of Executive 

Order 1061 on November 5, 1985, 

and amended Nov. 7, 1986, by EO 60, 

PhilRice has been through its mission of 

alleviating the life of the basically rice-dependent 

Filipinos through research, technology 

promotion and policy advocacy.


27 

agri-biotech work 

PhilRice Executive Director 

Dr. Leocadio Sebastian 

These were done through cooperation 

within a 56-agency network, including the 

institute’s 103 seed centers nationwide. 

With a little help from its friends— 

Japan International Cooperating Agency, 

Rockefeller Foundation, Bill and Melinda 

Gates Foundation, DA Biotech Program, 

Bureau of Agricultural Research and the 

Department of Science and Technology, 

among others—PhilRice has excelled in 

various biotechnological programs, including 

rice varietal improvement. These 

agencies have made possible PhilRice’s 

acquisition of various biotechnology 

tools and techniques, apart from granting 

scholarship programs to local rice 

scientists. 

Sebastian recalls that upon their return 

from a Rockefeller Foundationsponsored 

scholarship program on rice 

biotechnology in 1994, the members of 

the group of local agricultural scholars 

placed the Philippines at the forefront of 

farm biotechnology. 

“It was a strong group, it impressed 

the sponsors enough to pour support for 

the implementation of our initial biotech 

programs, the PhilRice head recounts. 

Part of the support extended by the 

Rockefeller Foundation included local 

training and funding for rice biotechnology 

projects. 

Alfonso, meanwhile, says that basically 

because of the foreign institutions’ help, 

PhilRice has become an effective instrument 

in improving rice farming in the 

country aided by the tools and techniques 

including tissue culture, genotype mapping, 

genetic engineering, and molecular 

marking, among others. 

This year, PhilRice has prioritized biotechnology-oriented 

research and development 

programs. These are the development 

of improved thermo-sensitive 

male sterile (TGMS) lines and TGMSbased 

two-line hybrids; marker-aided 

backcrossing of bacterial leaf blight resistance 

genes in maintainer lines of rice 

hybrids; induced screening of all hybrid 

rice and component lines to important 

diseases and insect pests; characterization 

and identification of predominant X.o.o 

races in major inbred rice growing areas 

for effective gene deployment strategies 

to bacterial blight disease; 

Use of classical and DNA-marker 

aided backcrossing transfer of important 

genes or traits; establishment of genotypic 

of commercially released hybrid ricie 

cultivars and their parents including A, B 

and R lines using standard microsatellite 

DNA markers; identification of a core 

set of microsatellite DNA markers for 

breeding applicatons; evaluation and utilization 

of DNA markers for aroma and 

semi-dwarfism genes of rice; application 

of anther culture technology in rice improvement; 

identification of the Rice 

Restorer of Fertility (Rf) Gene and Development 

of an Inducible Pollen Fertility 

Restoration System in Rice; 

Use of cloned and expressed rice 

tungro virus coat protein genes in rice 

tungro disease diagnosis; map-based 

cloning of the ARC11554 gene for resistance 

against RTV; development of 

backeterial blight, stemborer and fungal 

disease resistant hybrid rice through genetic 

engineering; development of bacterial 

blight, stemborer, sheat blight and 

blast resistan rice varieties for irrigated 

lowland environment through genetic 

engineering; and improvement of Philippine 

rice varieties by incorporating genes 

for Vitamin A biosynthesis and disease 

resistance. 

Sebastian considers four of these programs 

as the most important so far: the 

Rutgers University-PhilRice collaboration 

on tungro pest research, hybrid rice bacterial 

leaf blight study, the petunia restorerof-fertility 

(Rf) gene transfer in rice, and, 

the multi-nutrient rice gene transfer into 

Philippine varieties. 

But all these have not been that 

smooth. Besides the resistance from some 

groups—even as the level of acceptance 

among many is seen rising—the cost factor 

bugs PhilRice’s programs. 

As most of PhilRice’s biotechnology 

programs are supported by external 

grants and partly by core budget, these 

resources are fast depleting, admits 

Sebastian. “These [biotechnology programs] 

need strategic investments. These 

involve costly research and the investment 

are getting meager. We cannot spend 

more because of other government priorities.” 

He illustrates it by citing the cost of a 

single enzyme, which is equivalent to a 

one-hectare rice farm production. “And 

how many enzymes are involved in one 

project alone,” he asks. 

The Philippine government relies 

much in its research and development 

programs from external funding that 

would eventually get depleted. “In other 

Southeast Asian countries, their governments 

are spending for their R&D while 

we are relying much on grants,” said 

Sebastian. 

“The Thais and Vietnamese came here 

to train on biotech and their government 

spent for them. Ironically, the technology 

they are learning from us were all funded 

externally. When our resources get depleted 

and our technology levels off, their 

technology scales up,” Sebastian says. 

The important consolation of local 

scientists and agricultural biotechnology 

advocates, however, is the rising degree 

of acceptance noted these days among 

many Filipinos. 

Alfonso describes such acceptance 

level by the way proponents of Bacillus 

thuringiensis (Bt) corn have continued developing 

more genetically modified 

crop projects. After the two events of Bt 

corn, there is the round-up-ready (R-R) and 

the combination of the latter. R-R corn is 

a herbicide that kills all the weeds in the 

corn farm except for the corn plants. 

“At PhilRice, it is still a long way to 

go. At least we are happy on how we 

have been able to let the Filipinos see the 

beauty of biotechnology,” Sebastian says.


MAOs 

in the 

frontline 

By ROJA C. SALVADOR 

MUNICIPAL agriculture officers 

(MAOs) constitute the arm of the Department 

of Agriculture (DA) in ensuring 

that agricultural modernization programs 

of the government reach the farms 

and benefit the farmers. 

The National Convention of the Devolved 

Agriculturists of the Philippines 

Inc. (DAPI), held in Cebu City on September 

14 to 18, 2005, provided a venue 

for touching base with the MAOs. The 

Biotechnology Media and Advocacy Resource 

Center (BMARC) saw it as an 

opportunity to discuss with the MAOs 

ways by which they can render more effective 

their role as frontliners in advocating 

biotechnology to achieve effective 

agricultural modernization. 

The 500 MAOs in the seminar hall 

attentively listened as the BMARC Team 

enlightened them about the misinformation 

on biotechnology that effectively 

scares people, specially farmers, in their 

municipalities. The BMARC Team was 

headed by DA Biotechnology Program 

Director Alicia Ilaga, Biotechnology Technical 

Committee on IEC Chair Emmanuel 

Alparce, and Biotechnology Advisory 

Committee chair Saturnina Halos. 

Agricultural officers face the greatest 

challenge of discrediting scare tactics being 

used by some groups in the communities 

to discourage farmers from using 

genetically modified (GM) crops and creating 

a negative attitude toward modern 

biotechnology products. 

Gerry Uy, DAPI president, noted that 

at the municipal level, MAOs find it very 

hard to abolish the negative perceptions 

on biotechnology caused by the campaigns 

by local groups. 

“Actually, biotechnology is very acceptable. 

The problem is how to educate the 

people on the usage of biotechnology 

because they lack the information. The 

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT BIOTECH: 

HOW TO HANDLE WRONG INFORMATION 

ON BIOTECHNOLOGY AND 

GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS 

IN THIS segment, DR. SATURNINA HALOS, one of the Filipino scientists who 

have devoted their knowledge and personal capacity to biotechnology for improved 

agriculture, answers misinformation and the issues being faced by the MAOs in the 

community: 

Q: Genetically Modified (GM) Crops are dangerous to health and the 

environment. 

A: The Philippines is one of the countries which have a very strict, pre-market 

permit system for GM crops. That means no GM crop is marketed unless proven 

safe by scientific studies. 

Q: Some residents living near plantation of Bt (bacillus thuringensis) crops 

experienced skin allergies. Children and adults living near the area developed 

skin rashes because of pollen/flowers from BT corn!!! 

A: Chismis lang ito. 

There are more than 20,000 Filipino farmers who have planted the crop, were exposed 

to Bt corn and continue to plant—and not one reported having any allergic reaction. 

This story was reported to have happened among B’laan residents in South 

Cotabato. Upon hearing this report the Department of Agriculture sent a team of 

doctors from the Philippine General Hospital and National Kidney Institute to look 

at these allegations of allergy. No one came forward to show any skin rashes. Two 

supposedly affected persons came but upon diagnosis they were found to be suffering 

from TB and amoebiasis. This trend of alleged victims not having been seen by 

any doctor has been repeated in as many times as there are reports. 

The origin of Bt corn capable of causing allergy must have stemmed from the 

so-called Starlink controversy in the USA. Starlink is a variety of Bt corn that was 

approved by US regulators for use in feed and processing because laboratory studies 

indicate that it is difficult to digest. However, an activist group found this variety in 

food preparations like taco and raised much noise. Forty-four individuals came forward 

to claim that they suffered allergic reaction after eating food containing Starlink. 

An independent US agency, the Center for Disease Control, studied these 44 individuals, 

and only 11 turned out to have allergic reactions to other ingredients—but 

not to Starlink. 

Turn to page 34 

challenge for us is how we can campaign 

for biotechnology and how we can transfer 

technology to the people,” Uy said. 

Uy says that they use Bt corn in his 

area and that he is pushing for its use because 

he himself experienced the advantages 

of the GM crop. They also has a 

program of planting Bt corn in farm lots 

and the result was outstanding. 

Uy emphasized that the MAOs and 

the extention workers are the conduit for 

information on biotechnology for small 

farmers. 

“One of the challenges is how to 

channel these information to the MAOs 

and extention workers to the small farmers,” 

he said. 

“There should be a massive information 

campaign on the use of biotechnology. 

One way of doing that is you go 

province by province and you talk to all 

the extension workers, technicians, and the 

municipal agriculturists,” he added. 

“The researches and information on 

biotechnology should go to the MAOs 

and extention workers, from the 

extention workers down to the farmers. 

Then, whatever problem will crop out 

from the applications of the farmers, the 

MAOs and extentionists will provide 

feedback to the scientists and researchers 

so that they can modify based on the actual 

needs at the farm level,” advised the 

DAPI president. 

Enriquito Daguplo, a municipal agricultural 

officer in Sarangani, says that 

MAOs believe that biotechnology is really 

good but they do need help in making 

the small farmers understand modern 

biotechnology. 

“We hope that we could learn more 

about the Department of Agriculture’s 

programs and policies on biotechnology, 

such as Administrative Order No. 8. We 

can use the policies to make the people 

Turn to page 34


29 

In search of the perfect eggplant, 

tomato, papaya and GM crops... 

Dr. Desiree Hautea shows the way 

Dr. Desiree Hautea 

By JOE GALVEZ 

SINCE the dawn of history, early man found 

ways to domesticate crops and animals. 

He discovered the means to innovate, use 

crude and indigenous tools to combat 

pests and diseases, thus increase yield and 

maintain crop sustainability. 

It was in prehistory that biotechnology 

was born. It has been with us since then. 

In the Philippines, plant breeding began 

in 1914 with the varietal improvement 

of rice and corn. In 1945, a plant breeding 

division was created under the Department 

of Agronomy of the then University of the 

Philippines College of Agriculture. In 1960, 

breeding work was expanded to include 

other crops. 

Recognizing that modern plant breeding 

requires a closer collaboration among 

plant breeders and scientists of allied disciplines, 

as well as a strong research and 

administrative staff and excellent facilities, 

the Institute of Plant Breeding (IPB) was created 

on June 5, 1975 by virtue of Presidential 

Decree No. 729. It was established under 

the College of Agriculture of University 

of the Philippines in Los Baños (UPLB). Two 

years later, under PD 1046-A, the National 

Plant Genetic Resources Laboratory 

(NPGRL) was organized under the IPB to 

be the center for germplasm collection and 

maintenance of potentially useful agricultural 

crops. 

The IPB is a five-minute drive from the 

main UPLB grounds. Here, noted scientists 

continue the work which early man had 

started. The difference is that scientists at 

the IPB are armed with advanced scientific 

equipment and raw tropical materials in 

seeking cures for crop diseases. The task 

may be daunting, but the NPGRL has to 

work under a meager P40 million annual 

budget. 

Leading this perpetual quest is Dr. 

Desiree Hautea, an alumna of UP and University 

of Illinois (UI) and IPB director. 

IPB’s founding director was former UP 

President and Minister of Science, Dr. Emil 

Javier. It was during Javier’s term that the 

IPB gained a reputation as a credible scientific 

institution. 

Under Dr. Hautea’s watch, IPB spearheads 

the development and use of biotechnology 

in plant breeding and plant genetic 

resources conservation and use. Its major 

thrusts include tissue and cell culture technologies 

and applications, DNA marker 

technologies and molecular farming, gene 

discovery and genomics, genetic engineering 

and transgenic technology, plant disease 

diagnostics, bioinformatics and 

proteomics. 

“When you talk about GM crops you talk 

about applications not only in resistance in 

agriculture but also in the area of health,” 

Hautea said. “It is also in the areas of energy 

and the environment in terms of bioirrigation.” 

She said plants that can tolerate very 

high levels of lead and mercury content like 

those in dumps and mining areas are now 

being researched in IPB. In the future, these 

plants can help clean polluted areas to 

make it suitable again for agriculture and 

habitation. 

Biotechnology has actually become an 

industry because of the different products 

that it develops for a variety of purposes. On 

top of these development is genetic engineering 

and the products processed 

through this technology. 

Hautea says that the entire process 

should pass the strict bio-safety regulations 

as prescribed in Department of Agriculture 

(DA) Administrative Order No. 08, Executive 

Order No. 430 which created the National 

Committee on Biosafety of the Philippines, 

Republic Act 3720, also known as 

the Food, Drug, and Medical Devices and 

Cosmetic Act, and Republic Act No.7394, 

also known as the Consumer Act of the 

Philippines. 

She said that before genetically engineered 

crops can be released to the environment 

and approved for commercial applications, 

producers are required by law 

to submit a pesticide resistance management 

scheme, among others. 

“The Philippines is the first country in 

Asia to establish a biosafety regulatory system 

with the issuance of E.O. No. 430,” 

Hautea said. 

The main concern here is regulation. 

She emphasized that it does not mean that 

if the product is Philippine made, it can 

cheat and not conform to standards.


Thousands of genes are stored in several refrigerated depositories (left); GM papaya seedlings. Photos by Joe Galvez 

“That’s not the way to do it,” says 

Hautea. “Crop breeding is not an advocacy 

of a technology. It is a culture developed 

since time immemorial.” 

She added that if there are risks, it 

should not be allowed to propagate. 

Inside the IPB, a huge refrigerated containment 

area holds 43,000 accessions of 

about 500 species of important and potentially 

useful agricultural germplasm collected 

worldwide. They are stored, conserved, 

evaluated and distributed either as 

research and development materials or as 

prototypes. Scientists at IPB say this technology 

ensures biodiversity. It also conserves 

useful, traditional and wild varieties 

as genetic resources for breeding new improved 

varieties. In turn, these varietal improvement 

of crops, take into consideration 

the traits necessary to attain food security 

and global competitiveness. 

“Biotechnology has come a long way 

for these kinds of products and to the more 

refined ones like getting their genes whether 

in microorganism in plants and in dead 

animals,” Hautea said. 

When IPB scientists started their R&D 

in 1989, they focused their tissue culture 

studies on banana, primarily the lacatan, 

latundan and saba. Today, the scientists are 

propagating tissue culture on bamboo and 

cassava. 

“Right now, everybody wants planting 

materials for cassava,” explained Hautea 

as she showed how tissue culture through 

the compression of germplasm in white 

potato and other root crops is done. 

The good thing about biotechnology is 

that scientists cannot proceed to genetic 

engineering without first using tissue culture. 

This scientific process is very necessary 

if scientists aiming for the successful 

development of GM crops want the product 

to be almost, if not, perfect. 

The other thing that scientists at IPB are 

working on is still within the realm of biotechnology 

and this started in the mid- 

1990s, in what we call now DNA marker 

technology. 

Hautea refers to this technique as 

simple fingerprinting the gene of a person 

or living organisms like plants and animals. 

She calls forensic protocol as “genetic profiling.” 

“So, fingerprinting is a very important 

application in plant technology because just 

like in people, you can identify each individual,” 

she said. “And as soon as you know 

which one is bad you can always go back 

and correct it and actually make a business 

out of it.” 

She said that among the genetically 

modified (GM) crops in the pipeline is the 

papaya and mango with delayed ripening 

traits, papaya resistant to papaya ringspot 

virus, and sweet potato resistant to feathery 

mottle virus and weevil. 

Also in the pipeline is the commercialization 

of the Bt eggplant. 

The Bureau of Agricultural Statistics 

(BAS) reported that the eggplant is the number 

one selling vegetable in the country today. 

Agricultural experts and consumers 

were surprised at Dr. Hautea’s revelation 

that the purple piece of vegetable is number 

one in the market today. 

“Yes, you’ll be surprised to know that 

eggplant contains high level of anti-oxidants,” 

Hautea explained. “We have already 

done some tests in the greenhouse and we 

are optimistic that by the year 2007, the Bt 

eggplant which will be resistant to the whitefly 

will be available in the market.” 

The total number of hectares planted 

to eggplant in the Philippines is only 20,000, 

while India boasts of about 400,000 hectares. 

But she is optimistic that the 

hectarage will grow once profitability is realized 

by the farmers. 

While farmers in Northern Luzon cry 

every harvest time when they see their crops 

riddled with infestation, they could do nothing 

but still try to get their products to the 

market hoping that somebody would buy it. 

For years, farmers have tried vainly to 

spray insecticides on their green leafy 

crops. Scientists at IPB justify the propagation 

of GM crops because there are no commercially 

available sources of resistance. 

Viruses are carried by insects and the use 

of fungicides and pesticides for insect vectors 

are not substantially effective. 

“There is no pesticide designed for vegetables,” 

Hautea said. “All pesticides are 

designed for what they call ‘commodity 

crops’ like palay, corn, wheat, etc.” 

At the IPB, the scientists are now in their 

final stages of wrapping up their research 

on insect resistant eggplant which they will 

be naming the Bt eggplant. This eggplant 

or “cash crop,” as Dr. Hautea prefers to call 

it, will make a lot of farmers rich. 

“At the peak, for every hectare, farmers 

can earn as much as P175,000,” she says. 

Scientists at IPB are also looking at the 

potentials of distributing seeds for grafted 

mangoes and rambutan. They are also 

developing the hybrid tomato called the 

“goldstar” series. 

She said that typically, tropical fruit trees 

suffer from bacterial yield. So seeds are 

grafted to resist bacterial yield infestation. 

“We are looking at which part of a tomato 

or fruit have hard bacterial yield infestation,” 

Hautea said. 

She also added that grafted seeds are 

recommended to fight bacterial yield infestation. 

She said that in Bangladesh, the cost 

of grafting is lower than the cost in the Philippines. 

The cost of a grafted seedling in 

Bangladesh is equivalent to P1.50 while the 

cost here in the Philippines is P5.00 - 

prompting scientists to reevaluate the costs 

Turn to page 34


31 

Biotek ng PINOY: Kumpletos Rekados 

PHILIPPINE AGRICUTURE AND FISHERIES BIOTECHNOLOGY PROGRAM 

Nina ALICIA ILAGA at ANDREW DELOS ANGELES 

Kahalagahan ng kumpletong 

sangkap 

Ano ang kahalagahan ng Kumpletong 

Sangkap Marahil, marami ang marunong 

tumikim ng masarap na pagkain subalit 

iilan lamang ang marunong at bihasa sa 

pagluluto ng tunay na masarap na pagkain. 

Alam ng lahat ng eksperto sa pagkain 

na ang sikreto ng sarap ng anumang 

pagkain ay nagmumula sa masusing 

timpla ng bawat sangkap, sapat na dami, 

angkop na paraan at wastong tiyempo 

ng pagsasamasama ng mga ito. 

Di kaila nang inilunsad ang Philippine 

Agriculture and Fisheries Biotechnology 

Program, o DA Biotek Program, noong 

2000 ay may inisyatibong bioteknolohiya 

na sa iba’t ibang sangay ng pamahalaan. 

Batay sa mga simulaingbioteknolohiyang 

ito ay nagkaisa ang 

pinakamataas na pamunuan ng programa 

na pag-ugnayin at dugtungan ang mga 

simulaing ito, at higit pang pagyabungin sa 

pamamagitan ng DA Biotek Program. 

Nilalayon ng Programa na punan ang 

mga kakulangan sa mga alituntunin, pagibayuhin 

ang husay sa kakayanan at 

kagalingan, ipagpatuloy ang paglinang sa 

kaalamang biotek at sariling saliksik upang 

maseguro na may sapat na pakinabang sa 

produktong bioteknologiya ang mga 

Pilipinong magsasaka, mangingisda at mga 

mamimili. 

Ang programa ay magsisilbing 

pasulong na hakbang para sa 

pagkakaroon ng naaangkop na mga 

polisiya at suportang imprastraktura. 

Wasto at angkop na mga alituntunin 

(Policy) 

Sa pagluluto, ang mga panimpla 

kagaya ng asin at paminta, ay mahalaga 

sa pangkalahatang sarap na dulot ng iba’tibang 

sangkap ng lutuin. Anumang husay 

ng tagapagluto at sapat na mga sangkap 

ng lutuin ay maaaring masira ang pagkain 

kung kulang sa timpla. 

Ang pagtakda ng mga nararapat na 

panuntunan, kaakibat ang mga angkop na 

patakaran ng isang programa o proyekto, 

ay maihahambing sa pagtimpla na lutuin. 

Simple lamang ang tungkuling ito subalit 

malaki ang epekto sa pangkalahatan na 

maaaring ikabuti o ikasama nito, depende 

kung paano napaghandaan. 

Ang pagtatakda ng panuntunan ay 

pangunahin para sa isang mahusay na 

pagpapaplano. Dito nakasalalay ang iba’tibang 

mahalagang sangkap sa paglulunsad 

ng isang malawakang programa katulad 

ng bioteknolohiya. 

Bilang gabay at batayan ng lahat ng 

tunguhin ng programa, ito ay sumandig 

sa Pahayag ng Pangulong Gloria 

Macapagal-Arroyo tungkol sa 

bioteknolohiya: “Palalaganapin natin ang 

ligtas at wastong gamit ng makabagong 

bioteknolohiya at ng mga produkto nito 

bilang isa sa mga paraang gamitin para 

tugunan ang seguridad sa pagkain, pantay 

na kalingang pangkalusugan, 

pagpapanatiling ligtas ng kapaligiran, at 

pag-unlad ng mga industriya.” 

Malinaw ang adhikain ng pamahalaan 

sa pamantayang ito. Sa pangkalahatan, 

makikitang umaayon dito ang lahat ng 

hakbangin ng DA Biotek Program. 

Kaalinsunod dito ang mga proyekto at 

gawain nito, higit sa lahat ang mga usaping 

pagpapalaganap ng mga siyentipikong 

impormasyong pangkaalaman at pangedukasyon. 

Isang malaking kaakibat ng 

pamantayang ito ay ang DA Administrative 

Order No. 8 (AO8) na naglalayong 

siguruhing ligtas at wasto ang mga 

pamamaraan sa paggamit ng 

makabagong bioteknolohiya at ng mga 

produkto nito. Tinitiyak ng AO8 na bago 

pa man mailabas sa ating kapaligiran ang 

isang halaman na mula sa makabagong 

paraan ng bioteknolohiya, ito ay masusing 

nasubok at napag-aralan na ang kaligtasan 

nito sa kapaligiran at sa kalusugan ng tao 

at ng hayup man. 

Sariling saliksik sa gamit ng biotek 

(applied biotech research) 

Ang lutong Pinoy lamang ang talagang 

masasabing tumpak sa lasa at timpla ng 

Pilipino. 

Ganyan ang nilalayon ng DA Biotek. 

Pagyamanin ang produktong Pinoy. 

Angkop na makabagong teknologiya, sa 

mga produktong mapapakinabangan ng 

ating bansa sa agarang panahon. 

Mangga, papaya, palay, abaka, niyog. 

Maaaring hindi pagtuunan ng pansin ng 

mga dayuhan ang mga ito, subalit dahil 

napasakamay na natin ang makabagong 

bioteknolohiya, may karampatang 

kakayanan at galing na rin tayong tugunan 

and sariling pangangailangan. 

Sa pangunguna ng DA Biotek Program 

at Philippine Rice Research Institute 

(PhilRice), kasama ang iba’t ibang 

ahensya ng DA, ang DA Biotechnology


Center ay itinatag sa pamamagitan ng DA 

AO 21, 2005. 

Dahil sa kumpleto nitong pasilidad at 

malawak na kaalaman at kakayanan sa 

bioteknolohiya ng pagsasaka, ang PhilRice 

ang naatasang maging tagapamahala ng 

DA Biotechnology Center. Layunin ng 

Center na lubusang magamit ang 

bioteknolohiya sa pagpapabuti ng kalidad 

at pagpapayaman ng mga produktong 

Pinoy at mga pamamaraang kasalukuyang 

ginagamit sa pagsasaka at pangingisda. Ito 

ang itinatayang magbigay ng dagdag na 

kabuhayan at kita sa magsasaka at 

mangingisda. Higit sa lahat, magbibigay 

ito ng pagkain sa hapag ng bawat 

pamilyang Pilipino. 

Layunin din ng Center na mapagsanib 

ang lahat ng kakayanan, kagamitan at 

kaalamang angkin ng bawat ahensiya ng 

DA ukol sa bioteknolohiya upang Ipinakita ni science research specialist Ma. Cristina Newingham (kanan) sa mga 

tugunan ang kasalukuyang pangangailangan 

ng bansa sa pagsasaka at 

mamamahayag ang ilan sa mahigit 2,500 uri ng palay na nasa pagiingat ng PhilRice, 

kabilang dito ang pulang bigas na Balibod, mula sa Mindoro. Mga kuha ni Joe Galvez 

pangingisda. Inaasahan sa pagsasanib na 

tuloy pa rin ang mga pagsasanay ng mga 

ito ang pagkakaroon ng higit na maayos 

tauhan at mga eksperto nito. Ito ay 

na ugnayan, malayang pagpapalitan ng 

nararapat upang ang resulta ng kanilang 

mga kaalaman at pagsasalo ng mga 

mga pagsusuri sa mga kalakal mula sa 

makabagong kagamitan sa bioteknolohiya 

Pilipinas at sa ibang bansa ay 

at genetic engineering. 

mapagkakatiwalaan at maaasahan. Isang 

Ang ugnayan ding ito ang inaasahang 

matagumpay na hakbang ito tungo sa 

magtutulak sa DA upang makabuo ng 

pagiging sentro ng kalakalang pangagrikultura 

sa Asya. 

akmang pambansang panuntunan na 

magbibigay daan tungo sa 

Sa larangan ng proteksiyon sa 

komersiyalisasyon ng mga lokal na 

imbensiyon ng mga siyentipiko, binuo rin 

produkto ng bioteknolohiya sa bansa. 

ng DA Biotek sa pakikipag-ugnayan sa 

Isa sa mga pangunahing hakbang ng 

PhilRice ang “Intellectual Property Team.” 

Center ay ang pabibigay diin sa gawaing 

Tuloy-tuloy ang kanilang pagsasanay na 

pagsasaliksik sa mga potensyal ng mga 

ginaganap sa Biotech Intellectual Property 

Center sa PhilRice sa Muñoz Sci- 

produktong biotek sa pamilihan, lokal 

man o pandaigdigan. Batay sa mga 

ence City sa Nueva Ecija. Ito ang bagongtayong 

pasilidad na naglalaman ng 30 

masusing pag-aaral sa pamilihan at sa 

kalakalan ay maitatakda nito ang mga 

computer na magagamit sa “prior art 

pangunahing produkto na mas higit ang 

search,” maliban sa ibang mga bagay na 

agarang pakinabang. Kasama na dito ang 

mahahanap rin mula sa Internet. 

mga produktong pananim, panghayupan, 

Malaking tulong ito sa mga Pilipinong 

at pati na rin ang pangisdaan. Partikular 

siyenpiko upang mabigyan ng karampatang 

proteksyon ang kanilang mga 

sa pangisdaan, ang SEAFDEC ang 

kasangga ng DA sa pagsasagawa ng mga 

imbensyon nang sa gayon ay lubos nating 

proyektong pagpapaunlad ng produkto 

makamit ang mga pakinabang mula dito. 

ng pangisdaan sa pamamagitan ng biotek. 

Ito ay kaugnay pa rin sa patuloy na 

pagsasagawa ng mga proyektong 

magdadala ng mga produktong biotek 

ng Pinoy sa lokal at hanggang sa 

pandaigdigang kalakalan. 

Pagpapahusay sa kakayahan at 

kagalingan (institutional capability 

building) 

Ang sarap ng luto ay nababatay sa 

paghahanda at pagsasamasama ng mga 

tamang sangkap. Ito ay kakayahang hindi 

matatawaran o maisasantabi upang 

mapasarap ng timpla ng anumang lutuin. 

Ang galing na ito ang pinaghuhusay ng 

haba ng panahong pagsasanay sa sariling 

kakayahan at kagalingan. 

Lingid sa ating kaalaman, ang mga 

produkto ng makabagong teknologiya ay 

nangangailangan ng bagong kakayahan at 

kagalingan maging sa regulasyon o sa “intellectual 

property protection.” Isa rin ito 

sa pangangailangan na pinagbuhusang 

pansin ng DA Biotek Program. 

Ang karagdagang kasanayan sa 

regulasyon ay ibinuhos sa mga ahensiyang 

kasangga sa pagpapatupad ng AO 8: ang 

Bureau of Plant Industry, Bureau of Animal 

Industry, Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority, 

Bureau of Agriculture and Food 

Products Standards, at ang kabuuan ng 

Scientific and Technical Review Panel. 

Isinagawa o ipinadala sa iba’t ibang training 

at workshops, lokal man o sa ibayong 

dagat, ang mga regulators upang 

makapagsanay sa sinasabing “risk assessment, 

risk-management at risk communication.” 

Hindi kataka-taka na ang AO 8 ay 

naipatutupad nang maayos at alinsunod 

sa pandaigdigang pamantayan. 

Ang isa pang paraan ay ang 

pagpapahusay ng organisasyon sa 

pagsasagawa ng mga tungkulin at gawain 

nito ayon sa itinakda ng pamahalaan. 

Isang magandang halimbawa ay ang 

patuloy na pagpapahusay ng kakayanan 

ng mga DA Regulatory Biotech Labs. Ang 

ilang mga laboratoryong may sapat na 

kakayahan sa pagsusuri sa pamamagitan 

ng “molecular-based technology” ay nasa 

National Seed Quality Control Service at 

Plant Quarantine Service, mayroon din 

sa Bureau of Animal Industry at sa National 

Meat Inspection Service. Matapos 

na itayo at simulan ang operasyon ay tuluy- 

Paglinang sa kaalamang biotek 

(information education 

and communication) 

Malaki ang halaga ng presentasyon o 

pagkakahanda ng anumang pagkain o 

lutuin upang ganahan mga kakain. 

Maaaring sapat ang sarap at linamnam ng


33 

mga pagkain, subalit kung hindi 

nakatatakam ang pagkakahanda nito ay 

maaaring hindi rin ito pansinin. 

Upang maging nakatatakam sa 

mapanuring panlasa ng Pilipino ang 

makabagong bioteknolohiya at mga 

produkto nito, kakaibang istratehiya ang 

ginamit ng programa. Layunin nitong 

lubos na maunawaan ng madla ang 

kaligtasan at kahusayan na dulot ng biotek. 

Naging matagumpay ang DA Biotek 

sa pagbuo ng isang kakaibang 

pamamaraan ng gawaing pangimpormasyon 

at pang-edukasyon 

tungkol sa bioteknolohiya na higit na 

epektibo at pangmatagalan. 

Ang DA Biotek ay nakipagbuklod sa 

Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry 

and Natural Resources Research and 

Development (PCARRD), Southeast 

Asian Regional Center for Graduate 

Study and Research in Agritulture 

(SEARCA) and Biotechnology Center of 

the Philippines (BCP) at binuo ang Biotechnology 

for Life Media and Advocacy 

Resource Center (BMARC). Ang 

BMARC ang nagpapatupaad ng 

kampanya para sa impormasyon, 

edukasyon at advocacy para sa biotek. 

Marahil dahil dito ang Pilipinas ay 

maaari nang ituring na kampeon sa 

pagpapalaganap ng bioteknolohiya. 

Pangunahin sa pagpapalaganap ng 

bioteknolohiya ang pakikipagtulungan sa 

ibang sektor na may malawak na saklaw 

at malakas na impluwensya. 

Kasama sa binuong ugnayan ay ang 

mga lokal at pambansang mamamahayag, 

kasama na ang mga editor, brodkaster , 

mga reporter at mga information officer 

ng mga ahensya ng gobyerno sa buong 

bansa bilang mga tagapagtaguyod ng 

bioteknolohiya. 

Hanggang sa hanay ng karaniwang 

mamamayan, partikular sa lokal na 

pamahalaan, ang DA Biotek Program, 

katulong ang sangay ng mga pamahalaang 

lokal ay patuloy na magpapalaganap sa 

kabutihang dulot ng ligtas na paggamit 

sa bioteknolohiya. 

Isang mahalagang tagumpay ng 

nakaraang pagdiriwang ng Unang 

Pambansang Linggo ng Biotek noong 

nakaraang unang linggo ng Hulyo. 

Mahalaga ang paglagda ng mga 

pamunuan ng Kagawaran ng Pagsasaka 

at ng League of Municipalities of the 

Philippines sa isang kasunduang 

naglalayong palaganapin ang kaalaman 

tungkol sa biotek sa lahat ng lokal na 

pamahalaan. Naging isang balakid sa 

Kagawaran ng Pagsasaka ang debolusyon 

para maabot ang mga magsasaka sa 

kanayunan. Ngunit dahil sa kasunduang 

ito ay magsisilbi itong tulay ng 

pambansang pamunuan ng kagawaran sa 

mga magsasaka sa kanayunan. 

Ang isang matingkad na tulong ng 

pamunuan ng mga pamahalaang lokal ay 

ang sunud-sunod na pagpasa ng mga 

resolusyon ng pamahalaang bayan na 

nagsasaad ng lubos na suporta sa ligtas 

na gamit ng bioteknolohiya. 

Ilan pa sa mga pinaghusay ng 

Programa ay ang masinop na pakikipagugnayan 

at pakikipagtulungan sa mga 

organisasyon na may malawak na saklaw 

katulad ng samahan ng mga doktor, 

kapulungan ng mga mamimili at ilang 

mga nongovernment organization. 

Ang simbahan ay isa rin sa 

mahahalagang katuwang sa paglapit sa 

mga mamamayan ng mga batayang 

komunidad. At ang isa pang mahusay sa 

pagkumbinse sa mga pamayanan ay ang 

mga guro o mga kinatawan ng mga 

paaralan. 

Maliban sa tulong ng mga 

mahahalagang personalidad sa mga 

komunidad, ay mismong ang mga 

magsasaka ang ipinaloob sa programang 

“farmer exchange program.” Dito, ang 

mga magsasaka mismo ang nakikipagusap 

sa kapwa magsasaka tungkol sa mga 

tagumpay ng kanilang karanasan sa 

paggamit ng makabagong pamamaraang 

pang-agrikultura, ang bioteknolohiya. 

Isa pang malaking tagumpay ng 

pakikipagtulungan ng Programa sa iba’tibang 

sektor ay ang pagsasara ng 

kasunduan sa pagitan ng pamahalaan at 

ng pamunuan ng mga katutubo sa 

Mindanao sa pamamagitan ng Indigenous 

Peoples Groups of Mindanao. 

Upang mapanatili ang mga gawaing 

pang-edukasyon ukol sa biotek, ang 

Programa ay kasalukuyang naghahanda ng 

dalawang kurso ng pag-aaral tungkol sa 

kahalagahan ng biotek sa buhay ng mga 

mamamayan. 

Ang una ay ang kurso na maaari nang 

gamitin para sa pagtuturo ng biotek sa 

mga paaralan. Sa kasalukuyan ay 

sinusubukan na ito sa ilang pampublikong 

pamantasan sa Mindanao at Visayas. 

Susunod na ang pagsasagawa ng mga 

paunang pagsubok nito sa Luzon. 

Ang isa pa ay ang Kurso ng Biotek 

para sa LGUs. Nauukol ito para sa mga 

opisyal ng lokal na pamahalaan, mula sa 

pinakamataas hanggang sa mga opisyal 

na may tuwirang kaugnayan sa mga 

magsasaka at mga komunidad na sakop 

nito 

Ẇalang takdang panahon ang 

dalawang kurso kayat patuloy itong 

magagamit hangga’t may kahalagahan ang 

biotek sa pang-araw-araw na buhay. 

Ang husay ng biotek ng Pinoy... 

Ang pagpapatuloy ng tagumpay ng 

Biotek ng Pinoy ay nakasalalay sa kabuuan 

ng DA Biotek Program, sa masusing paguugnay 

ng apat na mahahalagang sangkap 

nito para sa lapat at angkop na mga 

panuntunan (policy), mabilis at mainam 

na pagpapatupad ng mga patakaran at 

mga alituntunin (institutional papability), 

kaagapay din ang sariling husay at 

kakayanan sa biotek (applied biotech research) 

at, higit sa lahat ,ang sustinidong 

gawaing pang-impormasyon at pangedukasyon 

para sa pinakamalawak na 

hanay ng mamamayang Pilipino (information 

education and communication). 

“Kumpletos rekados” na para sa 

lubos ng paggamit sa mga pamamaraan 

ng bioteknolohiya sa pagsasaka. Sa 

pamamagitan ng DA Biotek Program, sa 

pamamahala ng Program Implementation 

Unit, at ng kaakibat na husay ng 

pamumuno ng Undersecretary for Policy 

and Planning ng Kagawaran ng Pagsasaka, 

walang pangarap na hindi naabot ng lubos 

na pagsisikap.


In search of... From page 30 

and to bring it down to the same level as 

that of Bangladesh. 

To understand how the Philippines fair 

as a country involved in the propagation of 

biotechnology in crops, one simply has to 

look at China. It leads in the commercialization 

of GM crops. China has every crop 

processed through biotechnology and they 

are commercially available. 

So far, the Philippines have more than 

three biotech products available in the 

market. Other Asian countries like Indonesia, 

Malaysia and Thailand are now working 

on GM crops. 

Today, the IPB is one of two institutions 

in the Philippines that are developing GM 

products. A lot of institutions have research 

and development programs, but only the 

IPB and Philippine Rice Research Institute 

(PhilRice) in Nueva Ecija are more or less 

in the advanced stage of product development 

of GM crops. It is also one of the institutions 

that implement the priorities and 

agenda of the Philippine government for agriculture. 

Dr. Hautea added that the IPB is a public 

sector that has nothing to gain because 

it is not after profit. 

“The main task of the IPB is to give farmers 

a choice to select the suitable crops 

they want to plant,” she says. “It also gives 

consumers a choice between eating pesticide 

[laden crops] or eating a product that 

is safe.” 

As the agricultural and scientific community 

move to develop modern agricultural 

products, they are also looking at the 

end point of market distribution. 

Hautea said that once the products are 

laid down on the ground, their next phase 

is to look for private-sector entrepreneurship. 

The IPB is now looking for farmers’ 

organizations as possible venture capitalists 

to be part of the small-scale and medium-scale 

enterprises. 

“We will be providing the technology,” 

Hautea said. “Once we have the products 

at this stage we will invite everyone and the 

topic will be on who wants to be the market 

player.” 

Despite her optimism, Dr. Hautea believes 

that the government and the IPB have 

no business in business. She strongly believes 

that the definition of a successful 

product is a product that is sustained and 

used by the public. 

“A good product, even without government 

support, is always used,” She 

said. “And that is what we want IPB products 

to be.” 

MAOs in the frontline 

From page 28 

How to handle... From page 28 

understand that the technology is safe. 

Later on, we can adopt the guidelines and 

issue local ordinances and resolutions on 

biotechnology advocacy so we can work 

towards a rigid information dissemination 

campaign on biotechnology,” said 

Mr. Daguplo. 

“We do understand biotechnology, 

but we need more information so that 

we can explain the pros and cons of biotechnology 

to the people. It is very hard 

especially in our province where the 

church is leading the campaign against 

modern biotechnology,” he added. 

For Mr. Daguplo, it was thus fortunate 

that Director Ilaga talked about government 

programs on biotechnology, including 

Administrative Order No. 8 and 

National Commission on Biosafety in the 

Philippines; and Father Alparce, who is a 

parish priest, answered their questions on 

ethics on biotechnology. 

Director Ilaga also proved that 

GMOs are not monopolozed by multinational 

corporations because many Pinoy 

GM crops, created by Filipino scientists 

through government support, are already 

in the pipeline. These GM crops, such as 

Vitamin A rice, disease-resistant papaya 

and abaca, can help address poverty 

through nutrition, more livelihood opportunities, 

and increased income. 

Q: There were incidences in other places where people reportedly developed 

allergies or got sick after GM crops were planted in the vicinity. 

A: Not one of these stories was true. The Department of Agriculture always 

validates this report and not one is true. 

A: During an experiment, some mice became sick and died after eating 

the GM potatoes. 

A: This study by an European scientist, Dr. Puztai, showed mice becoming sick 

of eating raw potato, BOTH GM and non-GM—apparently because raw potato in 

itself is not a normal part of their diet. 

Q: GM seeds are only good for the first two planting seasons. 

A: GM seeds are hybrid seeds. It is a natural phenomenon that hybrid seeds 

perform best only in the first planting. Subsequent plantings yield lower and lower 

than the first harvest. 

Q: GM seeds are very expensive for farmers 

A: Farmers must look at farming as a business venture, with each input as an 

investment. The initial cost of the seeds is amply offset by the higher yield and the 

zero or nil use of pesticide. More than 20,000 Bt corn farmers find that Bt corn 

seeds are worth investing in not only because they are more profitable but also because 

they are less exposed to deadly chemical pesticides. And also because Bt corn is 

cleaner and contains less of the cancer-causing fungal toxins that can cause cancer 

and retard growth of animals. Thus, Bt corn usually commands a higher price. 

Q: GM crops kill other species/insects in the environment 

A: No GM crop has been approved for planting that can kill insects other than the 

target species. Bt corn kills only the Asiatic corn borer but not the friendly insects like 

Trichogramma, spiders, etc. Philippine regulators require technology developers to study 

and give proof that the GM crop does not kill or adversely affect other organisms. 

Q: The multinational issue 

A: Our own local public institutions like the Philippine Rice Research Institute 

(PhilRice) and Institute of Plant Breeding (IPB) are developing GM crops like Golden 

Rice resistant to tungro and BLB, virus resistant papaya, Bt eggplant and delayedripening 

papaya. 

The alternative effective control for Asiatic corn borer, a chemical, Furadan, is 

also owned, produced and sold exclusively by a multinational corporation. Almost all 

drugs in the Philippines are owned, produced and sold exclusively by multinational 

corporations. The fact that our own local institutions are now developing GM crops 

shows that the GM technology is not exclusively owned by multinational corporations—not 

like drugs and chemical pesticides. 

Q: The ulterior motive of biotechnology advocates is to make money or 

business. 

A: Farmers make more money out of biotech crops like Bt corn than biotechnology 

advocates and any other sector in society. For the first time, our farmers have 

increased their profits by as much as P40,000-P50,000 more after planting Bt corn. 

Studies in the USA have shown that farmers are the biggest beneficiaries of GM 

technology. For example, for each dollar of economic benefits from GM soybean, 

~76 cents goes to farmers and ~24 cents goes to the rest of society: technology 

developer, seed producers, consumers and importing countries.


35

36 BIO LIFE October – December 2005

biolife 4_final.P65 - SEARCA Biotechnology Information Center

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?