WHEREAS, modern agricultural 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, the application of biotechnology provides opportunities and options to small farmers as well as agriculture and food industries to enhance product yield and quality by reducing the use of insecticides in farms;

WHEREAS, more than 58 million hectares of global farmland were planted with biotechnology crops in 2002, the United States accounting for 66 percent of total 2002 global hectarage planted in biotechnology crops. Argentina ranks as the second largest producer, accounting for 23 percent of 2002 global biotechnology crop acreage, followed by Canada (6 percent) and China (4 percent), South Africa, Australia, Mexico, Bulgaria, Uruguay, Romania, Spain, Indonesia, Germany, and France, among others, each accounted less than 1 percent of global biotechnology crop acreage in 2002;

WHEREAS, current trends indicate that the use of biotechnology in the world continue to increase;

WHEREAS, the utilization of biotechnology assures better incomes to farmers and food producers, both small and large;

WHEREAS, the country has an appropriate regulatory setup to address the bio-safety and health aspects of bio-technology 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 Modern Biotechnology;

WHEREAS, with an existing regulatory system in place aligns the Philippines with countries such as the United States, Canada, Japan, Argentina, among others, in promoting the safe and responsible use of modern biotechnology;

WHEREAS, countries such as Argentina, Canada, European Union, Japan, South Africa, United States, Russia, Honduras, Spain, France, Australia, Netherlands, United Kingdom, China, Mexico, India, Indonesia and Uruguay have adopted biotechnology as means of increasing their agricultural productivity;

WHEREAS, Monsanto Philippines has conducted successful field trials from 2000-2002 for Corn Event MON810 with trade name of Yieldgard under the close monitoring from the National Committee on Biosafety of the Philippines (NCBP), the Bureau of Plant Industry, the Department of Agriculture independent scientists and other farming community stakeholders;

WHEREAS, after a stringent 5-year application process, final evaluation by 3 members of the Scientific and Technical Review Panel, composed of independent scientists, recommended the approval of Corn Event MON810 as safe for food and feed use;

WHEREAS, the Bureau of Plant Industry approved the application of Corn Event MON810 last December 4, 2002;

WHEREAS, field trial results of Corn Event MON810 manifested an average yield increase of about 15-38 percent;

WHEREAS, the Philippines imports an average of 1 million metric tons to corn each year;

WHEREAS, corn is the primary staple of livestock and game;

RESOLVED, AS IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED that the Philippine College of Veterinary Feed Practitioners (PCVFP) supports the adoption of biotechnology as a national strategy for improving agricultural productivity and attaining global competitiveness;

FURTHER RESOLVED that we hereby express our support to the efforts of our government under the Macapagal-Arroyo Administration in pursuing the advancement of the safe and responsible use of modern biotechnology for the upliftment of the Philippine Agricultural sector;

FURTHER RESOLVED that we declare our support for efforts by the Departments of Agriculture, Science and Technology, Health, and Environment and Natural Resources in developing policies and building capacities and regulatory frameworks to ensure that the tremendous benefits of modern biotechnology can be used safely and responsible by our people;

RESOLVED FINALLY that copies of this resolution be furnished to the Office of the President; Office of the Senate President; Office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives; Office of the Secretary of Agriculture; Office of the Presidential Adviser for Agricultural Modernization; Office of the Executive Secretary; Chairman, Committee on Agriculture, Philippine Senate; and the Chairman, Committee on Agriculture, House of Representatives.

Signed:

Dr. Tomas C. Lazaro, II
President
Philippine College of Veterinary Feed Practitioners