Henry Mecha, secretary-general of the Small Farmers and Landtillers Association of the Philippines, said in a press release that there should be no exceptions in the implementation of anti-GM ordinances if LGU’s choose to ban non-organic crops and products to be cultivated, brought, or consumed in their areas. Mecha also urged LGU leaders to encourage farmers to join their initiative by providing them the technology, including pre and post harvest facilities so they will no longer depend on imported products that could be GM’s, the press release said.

Board member Nehemias dela Cruz said he will move for a moratorium of the Ordinance for two years. ”The total ban on GMO products is sweeping. We need to study and prepare, thus a moratorium is necessary. Those who are very vocal on organic farming here in Negros only had gardens. I’m a corn farmer. I have a vast plantation. If I won’t use pesticides which is GMO, my corn plantation will be filled with corn borers,” he said. There’s a lot of products that are GMO. Just like the Insulin for Diabetic persons. ”Insulin is GMO. If you ban it, a lot of people with Diabetes will also suffer,” he said.

The fate of the controversial ordinance banning the entry of genetically-modified organisms into Negros Occidental, the implementation of which was opposed by livestock and poultry growers, as well as sugar producers remains hanging, after none of its members raised the issue in two regular sessions of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan. Vice Governor Emilio Yulo III yesterday said he has already provided copies of the recommendation of the ad hoc committee tasked to study the questioned ordinance, to each member of the SP. Yulo said the ordinance remains valid, unless it is repealed, amended or modified.

The group noted that if studies by the Philippine Sugar Research Institute on High Yielding Varieties of sugarcane will have to stop due to the GMO ban, the sugar industry in Negros will be in danger of collapsing. PHILSURIN, which, Montinola, Valderama, and De la Cruz said, will be introducing a new sugarcane variety that is nitrogen fixing and uses biotechnology, has placed an advertisement in newspapers today in opposition to the ban.

THE Philippine Network of Food Security Programmes (PNFSP), along with the Negros Rural Assistance Program Inc., supports the implementation of the memorandum of agreement on the establishment of the ”Negros Organic Island” and Negros Occidental’s provincial ordinance (passed on April 25, 2007) banning the entry, planting, transport and selling of GMOs, both living and non-living. GMOs have been touted as the solution to hunger, but it is not a feasible solution. In Negros Occidental, hunger is being worsened by the recurrent ”Tiempos Muertos” or the yearly off-milling season.

The ban on products with living Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) will continue in Negros Occidental as recommended by the adhoc team that was created by Governor Isidro Zayco to study the matter. However, due to lack of equipment for its implementation, the Committee recommended a one-year extension to allow the entry of non-living GMO products in Negros Occidental. Board Member Adolfo Mangao, chair of the Committee and Committee on Agriculture of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, said the members voted 9-5 for the stay of the Ordinance No. 007 series of 2007 that bans GMO in the province.

The ad hoc committee tasked to find a solution to the controversial banning of the entry of genetically-modified organisms in Negros Occidental, which is being questioned by poultry and hog raisers, is expected to submit its recommendations to Governor Isidro Zayco, its chairman, Board Member Adolfo Mangao said yesterday. Mangao said he will call for a final meeting with members of the ad hoc committee, and ask each of them to submit their final recommendations, which he will collate for immediate submission to Zayco.

”Biotech scare no more”, say print and radio media practitioners from Visayas during the Media Workshop on Creating Public Awareness, Knowledge and Understanding of Biotech Crops, held at Sabin Resort Hotel, Ormoc City, on 12 May 2009. [...] During the workshop, Dr. Jose Bacusmo, president of the Visayas State University (VSU), stressed ”the need to forge partnership with the media as it is vital to communicate biotechnology to the public, especially to the Visayas region, which is presently in the hype of scare issues on biotechnology.”

The ordinance banning the entry of genetically-modified organisms in the city will stay despite varied apprehensions but it will be implemented with consideration of all concerned sectors, the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod Committee on Agriculture said yesterday. Councilor Alex Paglumotan, committee chairperson, said at a public hearing that there is no coming repeal of City Ordinance No. 485. Paglumotan, however, assured that all sectors, including livestock raisers, environmentalists, and organic farming advocates, will benefit from the implementation of the law.

Livestock raisers in Negros Occidental yesterday appealed to the provincial government to hasten the release of the recommendations on the ordinance banning Genetically Modified Organisms in Negros Occidental. Albert Lim Jr., president of the Negros Occidental Hog Raisers Association, said they are appealing for the ad hoc committee discussing the GMO issue to release the results of its discussions on the matter. He noted that the ordinance continues to put a halt to their use of GMO corn to feed their hogs and chickens as they wait for the recommendations.