SEARICE, together with Greenpeace, filed a petition yesterday, August 23, 2007 (Manila time), to prohibit the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) from considering the application of Bayer Crop Science for direct use of Bayer's genetically modified Liberty Link 62 (LL62) Rice for food, feed and for processing before a trial court in Manila.

The petition also aims to declare the provisions on public consultation contained in Department of Agriculture Order No. 8 (DA AO8) as unconstitutional as these violate the Right to Health of the people (Section 15); the Right to a balanced and healthful ecology of the people (Section 16) of Article II; and the Right of the people to information on matters of public concern (Section 7) of Article III of the 1987 Philippine Constitution.

LL62 rice, a genetically modified rice was developed by Bayer Crop Science to be tolerant to glyphosate­containing herbicide. In August 2006, Bayer filed an application to the DA’s BPI seeking approval for the use of LL 62 rice for food, feed and processing in the Philippines.

BPI, the main regulating body on GMO applications in the country, has kept the Filipino public in the dark by not disclosing the status of the application of LL62 rice.

Health and safety over the introduction of genetically nmodified rice such as LL62 rice has been a lingering public concern and a subject of debate even in scientific circles.

The implications of a possible contamination of the Philippines' grain supply if importation of LL62 rice were allowed is also a major concern. “The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas has recently approved the US$20M commodity loan under the US Public Law 480 (PL 480) which involves importation of 69,000 metric tons of rice from the US. The planned importation might include LL62 rice if its application for direct food, feed and for processing is approved. We are uncertain of what will happen if this rice were mixed with ordinary rice that we are eating,”explained Che de Jesus, SEARICE’s policy officer, during a press conference in Manila yesterday.

“Filipino rice farmers that we are working with are particularly concerned about this. The influx of imported rice, as it is, is already marginalizing their sector as they can no longer compete with highly subsidized US farmers. They might even lose the little edge left in the organic market if their organic rice produce would be contaminated by LL62 Rice. Accidents of contamination can happen in milling and packing facilities,” de Jesus explained.

The Southeast Asia Regional Initiatives for Community Empowerment (SEARICE) is urging the Department of Agriculture (DA) to make its evaluation process for a genetically modified (GM) rice variant "more transparent."

SEARICE also called on the DA to reject Bayer Philippines' application to commercially distribute its GM rice variant Liberty Link 62 (LL62).

"Allowing the importation of this GM rice requires transparency and public knowledge as rice is the Filipinos' staple food," said Socrates Lugasip, technical officer of SEARICE.

"The people need to know the reasons behind the government's rush to allow this while this has not been grown commercially elsewhere, no history of safe consumption by humans, much less by a population that eats rice three times a day, whole­year round," Lugasip said.

The international non-government organization also posed serious questions on the independence of the Scientific and Technical Review Panel (STRP) from multinational firms producing GM products.

"We urge the Department of Agriculture to divulge the composition of the STRP and assure the public of the members' independence from any GMO [GM organism] company's interest. It is the responsibility of the DA officials to ensure that the people's staple food is not dictated by the GMO companies' profit interests," said Lugasip.

SEARICE pointed to Administrative Order 8 issued by the DA, which states that the STRP shall be "composed of at least three reputable and independent scientists to evaluate the application, particularly the risk assessment studies conducted and actions taken by relevant regulatory authorities in the country of origin, and submit its report to the Bureau of Plant Industry within 30 days from its receipt of the application."

The SEARICE representative cited a recent Greenpeace report which alleged that the STRP is composed mostly of experts who were commissioned by multinational firms to do research on genetic­plant materials.

Meanwhile, a member of the STRP said he would dismiss the application of Bayer for LL62 right away for "lack of merit."

"Would it enhance agricultural productivity, global competitiveness, lower the price of rice in the market, alleviate poverty and hunger, improve the health of the rice­eating Filipinos? These were the justifications for the country to hitch a ride with the biotechnology bandwagon in the early years of the GMO debate, but these are now conveniently forgotten in the decision­making process," said Dr. Emerlito Borromeo.

Borromeo also said the evaluation of GMO applications should not be left to the STRP alone because their perspective is confined to "technical aspects" only and could not defend the economic and socio­cultural implications of a particular GMO product.

Advocates of GM products had earlier defended the country's regulatory and approval process and said it can ensure that any GM product screened and approved will be safe for human consumption.

Source: Ng, Jennifer A., "SEARICE Urges DA to Review GMO Rice-Evaluation Process," Businessmirror, November 16, 2007

May 16, 2008

A Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) was granted yesterday by a Quezon City Trial Court preventing the Department of Agriculture (DA) and Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) from approving the application by Bayer Crop Science of its genetically modified Liberty Link Rice 62 (LLRICE62) for direct use for food, feed and processing.

“We welcome the issuance of a TRO,” said Che de Jesus, policy officer of SEARICE. “The TRO assures us that the DA and BPI will be prevented from approving Bayer’s application to import genetically modified rice for the moment."

DA Administrative Order No. 8 (AO#8) only requires the applicant, Bayer Crop Science, to publish a public information sheet (PIS) which does not sufficiently inform the public about LLRICE62. No public consultation process was undertaken to determine if LLRICE62 poses potential environmental and health risks given that rice is the staple food of the Filipinos.

In August 2006, Bayer CropScience applied for the importation of LLRICE62, ­a genetically modified rice resistant to herbicides which are also manufactured by Bayer.

July 21, 2004

The Province of Bohol passed Provincial Ordinance No. 2003-101, otherwise known as the "safeguard against genetically modified organisms (GMOs)," which would prevent the entry of genetically modified plants, animals and microorganisms into the province and penalize violations. Vice Governor Julius Caesar Herrera sponsored the ordinance with the unanimous approval of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.

The GMO ordinance was formally announced on July 21, 2004 by Governor Erico Aumentado, together with Vice Governor Herrera, Provincial Agriculturist Liza Quirog, Bohol Nature Conservation Society’s (BONACONSO) adviser Zenaida Darunday, Loreto Palapos of Bohol Chamber of Commerce, Inc. (BCCI) and Msgr. Cirilo Darunday of the Diocese of Tagbilaran. More than 200 people from different non-government organizations (NGOs), people’s organizations (POs), government employees and the participants in the organic agriculture standards and certification seminar joined the parade and witnessed the unveiling of the GMO billboard that would be posted at the Tagbilaran City Port.

Aumentado said that all Boholano people--and not just the GMO monitoring committee--must be vigilant in safeguarding against the entry of GMOs in the province. 

The monitoring committee is composed of members from civil society organizations (CSOs) like BONACONSO, SEARICE, and Promotion of Church People’s Response; business sector representatives, such as Bohol Quality Corp., Alturas Group of Companies, and Bohol Chamber of Commerce, Inc.; and the office of the governor and the office of the provincial agriculturist.

Two messages of support from Mindanao, particularly the Kalitawhan Working group on Biodiversity and the Magsasaka at Siyentipiko para sa Pag-unlad ng Agrikultura (MASIPAG), were also read during the launch. They congratulated Bohol for being the first province in the Philippines to pass an ordinance against GMOs.

Citing national heroes who hailed from Bohol, like Francisco Dagohoy and Tamblot, they added, "[in] the age of modern technologies, the spirit and legacy of these heroes still live in the hearts of every Boholano who bravely stood up against GMOs." 

An education and information campaign on the GMO ordinance will be conducted in the different municipalities starting next month. Aside from the billboard in Tagbilaran City Port, the GMO monitoring committee also plans to put up billboards in Ubay, Tubigon, Jagna, Loon, and Talibon towns to further spread the message of the anti-GMO ordinance.