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National Federation of Hog Farmers, Inc.
A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE ADOPTION OF BIOTECHNOLOGY AS A WHEREAS, biotechnology offers developing countries like the Philippines a potent tool for addressing food security and environmental concerns in the face of declining farm productivity, decreasing agricultural area, deteriorating land quality, galloping population growth and rising rural poverty; WHEREAS, countries such as the United States, Canada, Argentina, China, South Africa, Mexico, India and Uruguay have adopted biotechnology as means of increasing their agricultural productivity; WHEREAS, corn is one of the most essential inputs to feed both livestock and poultry; WHEREAS, due to the inadequacy of our agricultural crop output, a significant amount of corn, among other crops, are being imported in the country; WHEREAS, due to the infestation caused by insects, such as the Asian Corn Borer, poor grain quality is manifested in crops being used for feeds, thus affects the quality of our livestock and poultry; WHEREAS, the application of biotechnology provides opportunities and options to small farmers as well as food and feed industries to enhance product yield and quality by reducing the use of insecticides in farms; WHEREAS, the utilization of biotechnology assures better incomes to farmers and food producers, both small and large; WHEREAS, agricultural biotechnology will set the stage for the acceleration of agricultural development and enhancing the production of agricultural crops that will dramatically assist in attaining food security and diversify agricultural production for export; WHEREAS, Section 3 of Republic Act 8435 or the Agricultural and Fisheries Modernization Act of 1997 provide for the modernization of the agricultural sectors by transforming these sectors from a resource based to a technology-based industry. WHEREAS, the Philippine government thru the Office of the President by way of a policy statement, dated 16 July 2001, recognized the potential of biotechnology as one of several means to achieve and sustain food security; WHEREAS, the country has an appropriate regulatory setup to address the biosafety and health aspects of biotechnology products, including genetically modified organisms, by way of the Department of Agriculture Administrative Order No.8, Series of 2002 or the Rules and Regulations for the Importation and Release into the Environment of Plants and Plant Products Derived From the Use of Modem Biotechnology. WHEREAS, with a regulatory system in place, this will align the Philippines with countries such as the United States, Canada, Japan, Argentina among others, in promoting the safe and responsible use of modern biotechnology; RESOLVED, AS IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED that the (i.e. National Federation of Hog Farmers, Inc.) supports the adoption of biotechnology as a national and regional strategy for improving agricultural productivity and attaining global competitiveness; FURTHER RESOLVED that the (i.e., National Federation of Hog Farmers, Inc.) urges President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to support the commercialization and importation of agricultural products derived from this technology to ensure the country's food sufficiency program and increased agricultural productivity; and FURTHER RESOLVED that the Philippines sustain its human resource and institution development programs and strengthen biotechnology research development and product commercialization to ensure the competitiveness of our biotechnology sector in free-trade scenario of the world economy IN WITNESS WHEREOF, we hereunto set our signatures on this document this 9th day of October, 2002 in Mandaluyong City, during the Council of Presidents meeting. LAUREANO L. ABESAMIS Attested by: ALBERT R.T. LIM, JR. COP RESOLUTION NO. 2002-12 A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE ADOPTION OF BIOTECHNOLOGY AS A (signed by the following ASSOCIATIONS) LUZON
VISAYAS
MINDANAO
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