Pangasinan town OKs field trial of Bt eggplant

THE Sangguniang Bayan (SB) of Sta. Maria, Pangasinan has approved the conduct of a field trial of fruit- and shoot borer-resistant (FSBR) eggplant in a resolution approved unanimously on April 12.

All 10 members of the SB signed Resolution No. 11-34, which was certified by Matusheila mN. Claridad, municipal secretary.

In the resolution, the SB said it welcomed the approval of the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) for the multi-location field trial of FSBR eggplant, which is also known as Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) eggplant.

It noted that crop biotechnology contributes to improving agricultural productivity and addresses food security and helps reduce poverty levels in farming communities.

Moreover, the board members said they have discussed the matter of safety and environmental integrity for the field trial with the Biotech Research Team of the Institute of Plant Breeding of the University of the Philippines at Los Banos (UPLB-IPB)and tackled "technical matters and the significance of the research work."

The resolution noted that the field trial of Bt eggplant is also being conducted at two other sites in Luzon--- at the UPLB campus and at the Central Bicol State University of Agriculture (CBSUA) in Camarines Sur.

Assured that the field trial will be subjected to the strict supervision of the BPI and the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) of Pangasinan, the Sta. Maria SB endorsed the trial and sent copies of the document to the chairman of the IBC, retired Brig. Gen. Marcelo Blando and the main proponent of the trial, Dr. Desiree Hautea of UPLB.

The resolution effectively ends the dispute over the Bt eggplant trials in Luzon since the proponents had already secured the consent of the municipal councils in Laguna and Camarines Sur, where the two other trial sites are located.

Resolution 11-34 was signed by the following: Conrado R. Ignacio; Ambrocio J. Tugade; Susana S. Segui; Felicisima D. Agpawa; Ricardo C. Baluyut; Rodolfo C. Balmores; Gilberto S. Cantoria; Arturo I. Cachila III; Jun-Jun G. Macaraeg, and; Gaebriele C. Cantoria.

Vice Mayor Moises P. Hortaleza Jr. also attested to the veracity of the signed in his capacity as presiding officer of the Sta. Maria, Pangasinan SB.