UK environmentalist cites
RP biosafety regulatory system

A LEADING environmentalist from the United Kingdom (UK) has cited the Philippine biosefaety regulatory system as at par with the whole European biosafety regulatory system.

Dr. Brian Johnson, senior adviser and head of the Biotech Advisory Unit English Nature in the UK told Filipino scientists and the academe in a roundtable discussion held at Annabels’ restaurant in Quezon City, that he is confident about the Philippine biosafety regulatory system.

“I have been looking at your regulatory system over and over again,” Johnson told the audience. “I have watched your regulatory system develop and I can tell you that I am confident about the Philippine regulation as I have in the ability of the whole European regulatory system.”

Johnson said that the Philippine biosafety regulatory system uses the same technique and demand the same quality of scientific information as they do in Europe.

He said that all GM plants and their products must undergo risk assessment before these are commercialized in Europe.

A leading Filipino scientist also cited the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety in which the Philippines is a signatory.

Dr. Saturnina Halos, head of the Department of Agriculture-Biotechnology Advisory Unit (DA-BAT) said that the country’s biosafety regulatory system which is being strictly enforced by the National Committee on Biosafety of the Philippines (NCBP) has very stringent processes as compared to its European counterpart.

She said the country’s regulatory system has become a model regulatory system for ASEAN-member countries who are now emerging biotechnology producers.

“We always do risk assessment on any biotechnology or genetically modified plants and products before they are allowed to be commercialized,” Halos said. “This is required to whoever would like to work with GM crops should come up with a scientific evidences that their products are safe.”

Halos said that biotech producers are required to show data that their plants or products are safe to eat, safe to feed the animals, and harmless to the environment.

She also said that GM producers should ensure that their plants will not adversely affect the beneficial population of the insect world.

When asked by a student on why biotechnology or genetically modified plants are still being opposed by some groups, Dr. Johnson said that it is natural that some people are apprehensive on biotechnology simply because it is a new technology.

“People tend to be apprehensive and often times opposed to technology because it is new,” Johnson said as he mentioned a case in his native England in the 19^th century when majority of the population were against the entry of electricity and the electric bulb. “People were afraid to use the bulb fearing it will kill them. There was even a riot in England against a company who was about to set up a generator to light up the town.”

He also cited the first time the automobile was introduced in London and people thought that their body parts would fall apart once they travel at more than the 20 miles per hour in an automobile.

“Lack of pertinent information and the general fear caused by disinformation are the reasons why people are apprehensive about biotechnology,” Johnson said. “People need to be reassured that in the next ten years this new technology will eventually prove safe and beneficial to man.”