DAVAO City Councilor Conrado Baluran is now standing up for genetically modified crops, saying banning it is impractical. He made this stand after Councilor Pilar Braga proposed an ordinance to ban GMOs and GM crops during Tuesday's regular session. [...] Baluran clarified that he is not against such ordinance, but is just pointing out its impracticality.

Greenpeace Philippines, a non-profit, non-government worldwide environmental group, is encouraging the organization of a local volunteer team in Negros Oriental. [...] Danny Ocampo, Greenpeace-Philippines’ primary campaigner on Sustainable Agriculture and Genetic Engineering, in a recent visit, said they will leave it to local volunteers to determine which advocacy/campaign they will push for in Negros Oriental. In an informal cocktails launch, it appointed environmental advocate Harold Biglete as the point person.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation announced a $10.3-million grant to the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines to fund the development of Golden Rice, a genetically modified strain of rice containing beta carotene which the body converts to vitamin A. [...] The grant will develop and evaluate Golden Rice varieties for the Philippines and Bangladesh with the aim of applying for regulatory approval of these varieties as early as 2013 in the Philippines and 2015 in Bangladesh.

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).”

Scientists have worked for twelve years to develop what they call Green Super Rice. They say several varieties should be available to farmers about two years from now in parts of Asia and Africa. The ”green” in Green Super Rice means environmentally friendly. Researchers say it will produce at least as much grain as other rice plants but with fewer inputs. ”Super” means the rice is designed to better resist droughts, floods, salty water, insects and disease.

The Philippines will play a critical role in boosting global food security and reducing malnutrition as it will be the launch pad from which Golden Rice will be put to the market by to 2013. [...] This will save as much as 6,000 people daily death worldwide due to Vitamin A deficiency complications.

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.

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.

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.

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.