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Bt eggplants in the Philippines

 

Since 1999 GENET collects and distributes information on various topics in the field of genetic engineering in agriculture, food production and health. With this "Special Topic: Bt eggplants in the Philippines" GENET aims at providing an overview about the debate on development and approval of Bt eggplants in this country, based on our archives.

2011-03-29 |

Pili town council (Philippines) junks plea to stop GMO eggplant field trial

The municipal council of Pili, Camarines Sur, has junked the petition of an organic farming group to stop the field trial for genetically-modified Bacillus thuringiensis eggplant variety at a local college campus. Pili Vice Mayor Ronaldo Boclot said [...] said the Sangguniang Bayan had considered the plea of the farmer-scientist group Magsasaka at Siyentipiko para sa Pag-unlad ng Agrikultura (Masipag), but ruled that the group ”failed to show and present clear proof of the alleged detrimental effects to humans if they eat or consume Bt talong (eggplant).”

2011-03-17 |

Philippine Agriculture Secretary say no to Bt eggplants

Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala expressed objections to the commercial production of genetically modified eggplants that were being tested in various sites in the country. Alcala said production of Bt eggplants should be suspended until studies have proven that the genetically modified crop is safe for human consumption. ”Perhaps after the field tests were done, hold the production for a while. We should ensure that they are safe for human consumption,” he said.

2011-03-03 |

Philippine Agriculture Secretary says no to mass production of GE eggplant

Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala expressed objections to the commercial production of genetically modified eggplants that were being tested in various sites in the country. Alcala said production of the Bt eggplants should be suspended until studies have proven that the genetically modified crop is safe for human consumption.

2011-02-21 |

Anti-GMO activists destroy Philippine Bt eggplants trial

Anti-genetically modified crops activists have destroyed experimental GM eggplants being studied by the University of the Philippines Los Baños here. The activists reportedly belonging to Greenpeace, entered the UPLB research plots situated in the neighboring town of Bay and uprooted the Bt or transgenic eggplants about to be harvested. With members of the foreign and local media in tow, the intruders destroyed the fence of the ”off-limits” experimental area and uprooted the Bt-eggplants.

2011-02-21 |

Pangasugan (Philippines) community council opposes Bt eggplant field trials

Officials of Barangay Pangasugan in Leyte province have passed a resolution opposing the field trial of genetically modified eggplant at the Visayas State University. Pangasugan is the latest host community to oppose the experiment, next to Barangay Bago Oshiro in Davao City and Sta. Barbara town in Iloilo. In its resolution, the barangay council noted that it has yet to receive data on ”pollen flow,” which may contaminate surrounding plants in the area due to cross-pollination and may pose health risks.

2011-02-18 |

”Biotech corn ambassadress of Asia” bemoans delay of Philippine Bt eggplant trials

The enemies of biotechnology will stop at nothing to prevent farmers in the developing world from growing GM crops. A few weeks ago in the Philippines, they literally uprooted progress—and put a bright future just a little bit further out of reach. Here’s what happened. Researchers affiliated with the University of the Philippines at Mindanao were trying to produce a better talong, also known as eggplant. [...] But now we’ve lost this opportunity, at least for the time being, because of a paperwork error.

2011-02-15 |

North Cotabato (Philippines) may open up land for GM eggplant field testing

North Cotabato Vice Governor Gregorio T. Ipong has declared willingness to review the province’s policy on field testing for the Bacillus thuringiensis eggplant amid inquiries that the local government has been receiving regarding the crop’s field trials. [...] ”The best way in discerning things is to always get back to how these things came about through scientific method. As an engineer, I also have to listen to the scientific results. It is not a bad idea if both sides are seen and heard,” said Ipong, according to a statement.

2011-01-20 |

Cancellation of two Philippine permit to test GM eggplant hailed

Advocates of sustainable agriculture welcomed the decision of the Bureau of Plant Industry to cancel the permit to test-grow genetically modified eggplant, locally referred to as ”BT talong.” [...] In an order dated December 29 but made public by groups opposed to the propagation of genetically modified organisms on Tuesday, BPI director Clarito Barron said all Biosafety Permits for field testing were being suspended due to lack of public consultation before these were conducted.

2011-01-14 |

GM eggplant trials suspended in Philippines

Two of seven field trials of the plant - also known as Bt brinjal - were halted last month, two weeks after local authorities in Davao City uprooted plants because researchers had not fully complied with public consultation requirements. Scientists had been hoping to complete the seven trials by the end of this year and commercialise Bt eggplant next year. But research has now been delayed by at least six months, according to Eufemio Rasco Jr, lead researcher at the University of the Philippines Mindanao.

2011-01-12 |

Stopping genetically engineered crops in the Philippines

These past few months have been a whirlwind of forums and meetings with different groups including NGOs, the church, farmers, students, women, organic traders etc. - all because of the plans to commercialise Monsanto's Bt eggplant in the Philippines by 2011 even after India has rejected it. The Philippines is a country that has a very favourable policy in approving geneticalling engineered crops. Even the regulatory process is biased towards approving them since it is not an application process but an approval process for commercial release.

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