The participants and organizers of the forum on Breeding Innovations for Increasing Productivity and Climate Resilience in Crops and Livestock.
Steadfast in its commitment to provide an enabling environment for the acceleration of modern biotechnology, the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) together with the United States Department of Agriculture-Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA-FAS) Manila, and the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA), Inc. engaged Filipino legislators and legislative staff at the House of Representatives for the forum on Breeding Innovations for Increasing Productivity and Climate Resilience in Crops and Livestock on 8 August 2023.
In her opening message, SEARCA Deputy Director for Programs, Dr. Nur Azura Binti Adam acknowledged the dedication, expertise, and sincerity of scientists who work together to have beneficial biotech products available and accessible in the country. She also encouraged the participants to maximize the opportunity and engage with the experts in the field.
(From left) Mr. Mark Hanzel and Dr. Nur Azura Binti Adam during the opening program.
Dr. Rhodora Aldemita, Executive Director of ISAAA, Inc., highlighted the significance of the event since legislators are one of the key stakeholders who can advance the biotechnology agenda in the country. Mr. Mark Hanzel, Agricultural Attaché, USDA-FAS from the U.S. Embassy Manila, said that the U.S. recognizes and appreciates the Philippines as a leader in agri-biotech initiatives at the regional and global levels. "It is critical that we implement policies and laws that are consistent with science and that allow us to move forward with so many of these promising and amazing developments," he added.
Rep. Luisa Lloren Cuaresma of the Lone District of Nueva Vizcaya and Chairperson of the House Committee on Food Security stated that the national government shares similar sentiment. She cited the recent statement of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. in his State of the Nation Address, "in our quest for food security, our methods are now more guided by science and the balance of nature. So that the production is both sustainable and responsible, benefiting both this and future generations."
(From left) Dr. Rhodora Romero-Aldemita and Rep. Luisa Lloren Cuaresma give their opening messages.
While Dr. Aldemita presented the crop innovations in the pipeline for productivity and climate resiliency, Dr. Marvin Villanueva, Director of the Livestock Biotech Center at the Philippine Carabao Center, covered the livestock innovations. They were joined by Dr. Stuart Smyth, Associate Professor and Chair of the Agri-Food Innovations and Sustainability Enhancement from the University of Saskatchewan, Canada, who presented the status of international trade and technology transfer including the policy and regulatory landscape.
(From left) Dr. Marvin Villanueva and Dr. Stuart Smyth during the discussions.
During the open forum, Rep. Jose Ma. Clemente Salceda of the Second District of Albay raised the concern on the lack of a coordinating council in the Philippines that is tasked to implement the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (CPB), like that of the Climate Change Commission (CCC). Dr. Aldemita responded that the Department of Agriculture along with the other department-signatories of the Joint Department Circular on plant biotechnology were responsible for the task. She further clarified that these departments make up the National Committee on Biosafety of the Philippines (NCBP), which is the lead body mandated to coordinate and harmonize inter-agency and multisectoral efforts on biotechnology.
Rep. Jose Ma. Clemente Salceda along with legislative staff share their insights during the open forum.Rep. Salceda also expressed his support for biotechnology. "I am a great believer. If we could have something at the level of the CCC and essentially spread the benefits or allow for technology transfer and prevent adversarial policies, then I think this country will be better off," he stated.
The House Committee members likewise pointed out the willingness of Filipino scientists to conduct research on biotech but are limited due to lack of funds and high cost of research brought about by regulations. The experts mentioned that the government has already issued a directive to increase funding for research that will cover the Crop, Livestock, and Fisheries Biotechnology Centers.
Rep. Ray Florence Reyes gives his parting words to the participants.Finally, Rep. Ray Florence T. Reyes of the ANAKALUSUGAN Party List and Vice Chair of the House Committee on Food Security emphasized the importance of harnessing the power of breeding innovations for sustainable agriculture. "I, personally, am an advocate of science. I believe in it," he shared. "We must advocate for streamlined regulatory processes that facilitate the safe adoption of innovative breeding methods, gene editing, marker assisted selection to name a few. Regulatory clarity can encourage investment and innovation in this field," he further said. He also stressed the value of collaborative research, data sharing and accessibility, capacity building, climate-smart breeding techniques, public awareness, and investment and funding to achieve this goal.
The forum, which is the third of four biotech outreach activities being organized this year, gathered more than 75 participants from the Philippine House of Representatives.