DA says GMO products are scientifically proven safe

Cebu, Philippines (1 October) -- The Department of Agriculture (DA) says that genetically modified (GM) products have been scientifically proven to be safe to the consumers and to the environment contrary to fears raised by some environmentalists.

Dr. Saturnina Halos, chief of the DA-Biotech Advisory Team (DA-BAT) assured the consumers that all GMOs that are approved for commercial release whether for food, feed or processing are safe and do not pose health risks to both the consumers and the environment

Halos explained that all GM products were subjected to a rigorous science-based safety assessment and the most stringent biosafety regulations by competent authorities and experts to make sure that they are safe and do not have harmful effects to the users and the environment.

Halos added that all GMO applications have to pass through a wringer comprised of several layers of assessments from independent scientists, all of whom are accorded the time to check on the organisms, report their findings and subject the GM products to repeated tests for toxicity and impact on indigenous plants and animals.

Apart from the safety assessment by experts from the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) and other regulatory agencies of the DA, the Scientific Technical Review Panel (STRP), an independent scientific body, also evaluates the GMO applications, the DA-BAT said.

She also noted that safety protocol followed by the Philippines competes with the system operating in the European Union (EU), which has the strictest scientific regulations as far as GMOs are concerned.

To prove her claim, Halos said none of the 44 GMO products approved by the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) since December 2002 has caused any ailment among the farmers who planted them and the people who consumed them. The first GMO to be approved for commercial release in the Philippines in December 2002 was the pest-resistant Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) corn, which is now cultivated all over the country.

"All 44 GMO applications approved for commercial release in the Philippines have undergone careful review by other scientific bodies and equally competent authorities. They are as safe as their non-GMO counterparts," Halos said.

Halos added that aside from the safety assessment by experts from the BPI and the STRP, the process of approval calls for public consultations, from the initial evaluation of the technology to the testing in greenhouses, then in individual field tests and then to testing in multiple sites.

She concluded that before GMOs are released for field applications and finally to the market, the GMOs had undergone a very tedious process of public consultations, meetings with various stakeholders and careful evaluation of issues and concerns, thus farmers, consumers, medical practitioners and critics are accorded the opportunity to check on the GMOs.

As these developed, the country is pushing for international guidelines in bio-tech trade that will govern the import and export of Genetically Modified (GM) products.

Jennifer Ng in her article at the Business Mirror wrote that Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) is currently meeting and in the middle of discussion in Chiba, Japan on the proposed guidelines that will govern international bio-tech trade.

Dr. Emelea Cao, director of the National Sciences Research Institute at the University of the Philippines is the country's representative to the Codex ad hoc inter-government task force on foods derived from biotechnology and she has been active in giving inputs to the CAC.

"We are very active in giving our inputs because we want to make sure that the country would be able to maximize the benefits from biotechnology trade in the future," Cao said.

According to Cao, the Codex guidelines will govern testing procedures, safety protocols and tolerance levels in place to prevent the occurrence of 'illegal events or contamination."

While the implementation of the proposed guidelines is voluntary, Cao said the guidelines will be a good reference point especially for countries that are keen on importing biotechnology products.

Paul Green, a consultant with the International Grain Trade Coalition, earlier said guidelines that will govern the international trade of GM products would help prevent food shortages caused by a number of factors, such as the rise in demand for biofuels, Ng wrote. (PIA-Cebu/MBCN)

Funds for October elections available, says COMELEC

Cebu, Philippines (17 September) — The Commission on Election (COMELEC) says funds are now available for the October 29 SK and barangay elections.

COMELEC commissioner Resurreccion Borra said, the COMELEC has already received an initial budget of P664-million for the October 29 elections and it will be used in printing the ballots, election returns and other materials that are needed in preparations for the actual elections.

Borra said that the COMELEC needs to print about 45 million ballots for the barangay and another 5 million ballots for the SK. He explains that the initial P664-million is part of the P2.6-billion budget the DBM allocated for the October barangay and SK elections.

He also clarified that the local government units are no longer obliged to counterpart allocations, specifically for the transportation allowances and honoraria of the members of the Board of Election Tellers (BET) because the COMELEC en banc had approved a resolution that allocate P300 per member for the transportation allowance and P500/member as honorarium if they serve at the SK polls.

In similar developments, Barangay Guadalupe, one of the largest barangays in Cebu City has appropriated about P350T for its election-related expenses during the October polls.

Guadalupe barangay captain, Eugenio Faelna said, “We support the elections, we will even spend for it.” The appropriations signified the barangays’ readiness and its objections to postpone the elections, as some congressmen proposed, he added.

The appropriation resolution still needs the approval of the Cebu City council that has tabled it for discussion on its September 19 session.

In Malacañang however, the President told women participants of the Women’s National Electoral Assembly 2007 at the PICC in Pasay City that they must campaign for the modernization of our electoral processes—voting, counting and canvassing, starting with the forthcoming barangay elections.

Addressing the 2-day national assembly, the president called on fellow women leaders to exercise the right to vote to achieve the right of women to have more economic choices, to determine the future of their lives and the lives of their families.

The assembly commemorates the signing by President Manuel L. Quezon on September 15, 1937 of the Philippine Suffrage Act which, gave women equal right to vote. (PIA-Cebu/MBCN)

RSC endorses qualifiers for Nat’l Search for Outstanding Volunteer

Cebu, Philippines (17 September)—The Regional Screening Committee (RSC) of the Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency (PNVSCA) endorses today two qualifiers; Enrique Felisario from the individual category and Albert Schweitzer Familienwork Foundation Phils., Inc (ASFFPI), group category to the national level for the Search for Outstanding Volunteer (SOV) this year.

The Search for Outstanding Volunteer (SOV) is an annual search for individuals and groups that have provided voluntary service in the Philippines. It aims to highlight and recognize the exemplary performance and dedication to service of Filipino volunteers in building strong communities across the country through volunteerism.

The RSC and its validating team went on site validation, interviewed the nominees and rated them based on the PNVSCA-SOV guidelines and criteria that include qualities for 25 pts; performance 40 pts and impact of volunteer assistance, 35pts.

Nominees were pre-screened at the regional levels to shortlist a maximum of 3 nominees for the national level based on documents submitted and selection criteria.

The Regional Screening Committee shall then select one regional qualifier each for individual (Youth and adult) and group categories and these are submitted to the national screening committee. Each regional qualifier must have a rating of at least 85% to qualify for the national award.

Qualifiers’ profiles

Enrique “Erick” Felisario qualifier for the individual youth category is currently a volunteer worker for more than six (6) years now at the Youth Zone, a project of the Cebu Remedios Aids Foundation, Inc. that is situated at the Collonade mall in Colon, Cebu City.

Instead of playing, the young Erick has been a volunteer since he was 12 years old helping in any community activity thus, volunteerism comes naturally for him. He used all his free class hours daily and even weekends to assist in the various activities and advocacies of the Youth Zone that are focusing on youth programs on reproductive health, HIV/AIDS/STI, Gender Sensitivity and Sexuality.

As a volunteer, he has served in the depressed barangays of Cebu City and in schools through capacitating and empowering the youth, specifically the Out-of-School Youth (OSY) via training, briefing, seminars and IEC activities on reproductive health and family/population management; HIV/AIDS and STI as well as responsible parenthood.

Through his active volunteerism, he has received 8 awards and recognitions one of which is the 2006 Outstanding Cebuano Youth Leader for various activities in line with his services and assistance to the OSY and students in Cebu City, working closely with government agencies, other NGOs and private sectors.

Albert Schweitzer Familienwerk Foundation Phils., Inc. (ASFFPI) for the group category on the other hand is a local chapter of Albert Schweitzer-Germany that focuses on helping children that are abandoned by providing shelter and other basic needs for survival, protection, development and participation.

It office is located at 710 Trinity Plaza, Escario St., Cebu City while its training center and half-way home for children are situated Cordova town.

The organization’s hopes to create a world that is free from violence, abuse and exploitation by building strong families with solid spiritual values and beliefs; to provide for a package of social interventions and other services to children, women, families, elderly and the differently-able persons.

The organization has consistently assisted abandoned children by providing the shelter at its Children’s Haven at Cordova; send them to school and assist in the adoption proceedings of children who have no families.

It has also devised module program advocacies on the rights of women, children, youth, PWDs and the elderly; training on family strengthening, child rearing and abuse prevention; prepared a training module on the cycle of criminality, domestic violence prevention, problem solving and decision-making and anger management.

Recently, ASFFPI has trained an inter-agency team network throughout the country on the cycle of domestic violence; counseling to victims of violence as well as the perpetrators of domestic violence.

The Regional Screening Committee in Cebu is composed if the regional directors of NEDA-7, PIA-7, CSC-7 and 2 private sector representatives (one from UPCollege-Cebu and one from the Mag-uugmad Foundation).

It can be recalled that the Search for Outstanding Volunteers that is open to all individuals of Filipino citizenship and Filipino volunteer organizations or local chapters of organizations of foreign volunteer organizations that are currently providing volunteer assistance in the country.

The national volunteer award is a recognition conferred on outstanding volunteer individuals and organizations that are chosen from among the regional qualifiers.

The regional qualifiers shall receive certificates of recognition while national awardees shall receive trophies and recipients of the Volunteer Lifetime Achievement Award shall receive medals and certificates of recognition. Awarding of winners will be done sometime in December 2007. (PIA-Cebu/MBCN)

Rotary to plant one million mangroves for Cebu

Cebu, Philippines (12 September) – Rotary district 3860 hopes to plant one million Mangroves for Cebu within the Rotary year July 2007-June 2008 with a kick off planting of 5000 propagules and seedlings on September 15 at Cotcot, Liloan, Cebu to coincide with the celebration of Cleanup the World Weekend.

In a press release, District Governor Michael Joseph “Yumi” Espina said, “Rotarians recognize the importance of mangroves in our islands’ marine ecosystem. In Cebu where the rate of depletion and degradation is very high, Rotary will be working with DENR, and the local government units in the province to establish and sustain mangrove nurseries and their management.”

Each Rotary club in Cebu will have a designated “adopted area” in the province where they will plant mangrove seedlings and propagules. Rotary will help generate funds for propagule collection, nursery and seedling maintenance and protection activities of the various local government units and people’s organizations that will help the Rotarians in this project.

The project is in partnership with the Coastal Conservation and Education Foundation (CCEF), Department of Environment and Natural Resources, municipality of Liloan, Clean Up the Philippines and the Office of the Provincial Governor.

A written commitment to support the Rotary district’s Mangrove Reforestation program was inked on August 17 between Rotary District 3860 and the Coastal Conservation and Education Foundation Inc.

Plans are already afoot for another mangrove planting activities in the towns of San Remegio and Ronda. (PIA-Cebu/MBCN with Lilu Aliño)

Cebu City council goes hi-tech

Cebu City, Philippines (13 September)—The Cebu City Sanggunian Panglungsod (SP) wants to get the P4-million worth of a “state-of-the art” sound and video system for the newly renovated legislative (session) hall.

Cebu City Vice-Mayor and SP presiding officer Michael Rama said, “it’s about time for Cebu City to go high-tech by acquiring a ‘state-of-the-art’ equipment that is sophisticated, long lasting and is globally competitive that befits a highly urbanized city like Cebu!”

Rama explains, the system is called a Digital Congress Network Sound and Video System (DCNCVS) that has tele and video conferencing features.

To understand the system, the Cebu City Council (in one of its sessions) invited possible suppliers –Datavox, Microdata Systems & Management Inc., Yupangco and Cebu Appliance Center for product presentations.

The equipment is described as a state-of-the-art tele/video conferencing sound system that will be set up at the session hall where each councilor is provided with a portable or flush mount microphone that is equipped with voting, agenda handling and messaging features and the VM’s unit comes with an LCD monitor.

For those councilors who have difficulty in the English language, the system is also capable of translating 35 or more languages, thus convenient for everyone.

According to the presentations, some cables and accessories are hooked up to the telephones, internet and cable TV allowing the proceedings or sessions to be viewed by those who are not in the session hall thus councilors who are sick or out of town can still participate in the discussion and voting certain resolutions and or ordinances.

“They wouldn’t have any excuse of missing the deliberations and voting in regular sessions,” Rama commented.

The public too in their homes through cable TV, internet or telephones can already participate, ask questions or even watch their councilors in deep and serious discussions on ordinances, resolutions and their advocacies, the suppliers said.

With this SOA sound and video system, voting, recording, agenda preparation and even attending sessions become very convenient for the council and the secretariat as well. (PIA-Cebu/MBCN)

Where were you when Erap’s verdict was handed down?

Cebu, Philippines (12 September)—Today seems to be one of the most unforgettable days in our political lives, wrote a local columnist here in Cebu.

It looks like the nation’s fate hangs on the former President Joseph Estrada’s “HATOL” from the time he ran as president in 2001 to the time of his impeachment and now the verdict of guilty or not guilty of his plunder case.

Two of the local papers in Cebu had editorials on the ERAP verdict. The SUN STAR DAILY has “ERAP conviction or acquittal must rest solely on evidence” and The FREEMAN reads, “Country first before Estrada:”

“What is interesting though is that every time that a historical or a political event unfolds in the country, it seems a lot of ado comes from the national capital. The Freeman editorial hits the nail when it said …”What is ironic is that instead of being happy this sordid episode in our lives is about to come to an end, most people are instead seized by feelings of great trepidation.”

“That is because most of the 87 million Filipinos simply have no idea what is going to happen next. The country is once again back in a situation where the majority is being held hostage by a few. Guilty or not, the fate of the nation will once again be determined by what happens in Metro Manila.”

“Metro Manila is not the nation….true, the seat of power may be in Metro Manila. But it does not follow the fate of the nation has to be decided there every time. In case people have forgotten, it was Cebu that completed EDSA-1 in 1986. In other words, the rest of the Philippines must start asserting itself. It must not allow the fate of the nation to be dictated in the streets of Metro Manila alone.”

As the verdict was read this morning, acquittal of the perjury case and guilty beyond reasonable doubt of the plunder case, Cebu was quiet but not angry. There were no protest groups on the streets, business went as usual.

Teodor Locson, VP for external affairs of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce & Industry (CCCI) said, “The local business community will not be affected by the promulgation. It will be business as usual in Cebu.”

In Bohol, two (2) local radio stations aired the Sandigan Bayan proceedings. Mixed reactions were gathered from the listening public including the media but majority was satisfied with the verdict of guilty in the plunder case.

According to the Bohol PNP director, there were no activities monitored that publicly showed sympathy and support to the former president.

In Negros Oriental, Provincial Board Member Melimore Saycon said, “we have to give it to the Sandigan Bayan that the decisions they have arrived at have been properly deliberated. Everybody is equal in the face of law. Let us respect and accept whatever the verdict on his case. Let us stay calm and follow the rule of law.”

Finally, Presidential spokesperson, Secretary Ignacio Bunye said, “We bow to the decision of the Sandigan Bayan. We hope and pray that the rule of law will prevail. Meantime, we have a country to run, an economy to grow and a peace to win. We hope that this sad episode in our history will not permanently distract us from our goals.”

As Sun Star columnist Bobby Nalzaro declared, “We don’t want to experience another political turmoil. Enough is enough!”

Indeed! (PIA-Cebu/MBCN)

IRIGASYON OG KADALANAN DAGKO OG PAHAT SA 2008 BUDGET

Cebu City (September 5, 2007) – Mamahimo na unya nga mas malambuon og mas sayon ang agrikultura sa nasod kung maimplementar na ang dugang binilyon ka pesos nga proyekto sa irigasyon og kadalanan latas sa mga kabukiran .

Sa iyang pagbisita sa Nueva Ecija sa Central Luzon, gibutyag ni Presidente Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo nga ang kagamhanan nigahin og otso bilyones alang sa dugang irigasyon og singko bilyones ka pesos alang sa kadalanan nga giisip farm-to-market roads nga gilakip na sa budget sa nasod sunod tuig.

Kini gawas pa sa tres bilyones ka pesos kapin nga gigahin alang sa pagpaayo sa mga nangadaot nga irigasyon sa nasod.

Sa nasayran, ang Sugbo, Bohol og Negros Oriental dinhi sa tunga-tungang Kabisay-an adunay mga dagkong dam nga natukod.

Usa niini mao ang dako nga dam sa barangay Can-asuhan sa lungsod sa Carcar dinhi sa Sugbo. (Roberto M. Cabardo/PIA AMO 7 Cebu)