“The experience of the Biotech Coalition in the Philippines?” presented by Abraham Manalo, Biotech Coalition of the Philippines (BCP) at the ReSAKSS-Asia Conference, Nov 14-16, 2011, in Kathmandu, Nepal.

1. Stakeholder Partnership for
Biotechnology and Agricultural
Modernization – Shared Experiences of
the Biotech Coalition of the Philippines
Abraham Manalo
Kathmandu, Nepal
15 November 2011

2. Outline
• Philippine Situation
o The problem then
o A response – creation of the Biotech Coalition
• Case Studies on Effective Partnership
o On capacity building
o On product stewardship
o On public participation and education
o Special case: halal standards

3. The Anti-Biotech Environment…
The problem then: Advances in modern
biotechnology were not fully exploited in
the Philippines, particularly in the area of
agriculture due to strong anti-biotech
lobbying.

4. A response to counter wrong
information about the technology
and identify experts/champions
on biotech
The Biotechnology Coalition of the Philippines
(BCP), a civil society organization registered at
the Philippines in 2002, is a multi-sectoral
coalition of advocates for the safe and responsible
use of modern biotechnology for the country

5. Industry
Science
Community
Local Farmer Organizations
Academe &
Research
Instituions
Religious, Media,
Other CSOs
BC
P
BCP Members

6. BCP Mission Statement
“To contribute to national development
goals of eradicating poverty, achieving food
security, improving health, and sustaining the
environment by harnessing the actual and
potential benefits of modern biotechnology
through its safe and responsible use.”

7. Phil. Case Studies on Effective Partnership
1. Capacity building for the safe and responsible use
of modern biotechnology
2. Product stewardship: the insect resistance
management (IRM) strategy for Bt corn
3. IEC activities for meaningful public participation
and education
4. Evidence-based policymaking: the case of the
Philippine national standards on halal food

8. I. Partnership for Capacity Building
1. Co-organizing and sharing of resources, expertise,
facilities, other logistics
2. Involves both institutional and individual capacitation;
for policy and regulatory agencies, independent
scientists, public research institutions
3. Includes: basics of molecular biology & biotech,
conduct of field trials, laboratory testing & techniques,
food safety, environmental safety, risk assessment &
management, sampling & detection, safety assessment
of specific biotech crops, post-approval monitoring

11. 11
60 50
128
314
348 327
543
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Area('000ha)
Mindanao
Visayas
Luzon
Philippine Biotech Corn Hectarage
by Major Island, 2003-2010
* Includes Insect-Resistant, Herbicide-Tolerant and Stacked-Trait Corns
Source: BPI, 2011

12. Corn Production in the Philippines, 2000-2009
-
1,000,000
2,000,000
3,000,000
4,000,000
5,000,000
6,000,000
7,000,000
8,000,000
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Year
hectares|metrictons
-
0.500
1.000
1.500
2.000
2.500
3.000
Yield(tonsperhectare)
Area (hectares)
Total Production
(metric tons)
Yield (ton per
hectare)
Biotech Corn Adoption
Source: BAS, DA, 2010; compiled by ISAAA (R. Hautea 2010)

13. BIOTECH CORN IN PHILIPPINES
BIOTECH CORN REGULAR CORN
YIELD
+ 20 to 37%
INCOME
~Php 12,500/Ha
Sources: JYorobe; GRamon (2005); LGonzales (2005)

14. II. Partnership on Product Stewardship
o Product stewardship – responsible management of a
product from inception thru to its use & discontinuation
o Insect resistance management (IRM) for Bt corn –
necessary strategy involving all concerned stakeholders to
delay development of pest resistance to Bt corn thus
prolonging its effective use
Gene Discovery
Plant
Development
Seed
Marketing &
Distribution
Crop
Production
Crop
Utilization
Product
Discontinuation
Biotech Plant Product Life Cycle
Seed
Production

15. Approved IRM plan (involving technology
developer, government, farmers, scientists,
other stakeholders)
High Dose Bt
protein
expression in
plant
Natural
Refuge for
susceptible
borer
population
Monitoring
and remedial
actions
IPM &
alternative
control
measures
Education
and training
Insect
Resistance
Management
(IRM) Plan

16. Region 1 – Pangasinan
Reg. 2 – Cagayan
Isabela
Reg. 3 – Pampanga
Reg. 10 – Bukidnon
Reg. 12 – South Cotabato
Sultan Kudarat
National Farmer Acceptability Survey (2005)
n = 926
Source: G Ramon (BCP), 2005

17. *Alcantara, Edwin (2011). Monitoring of Bt
Corn Resistance Development in the Asian
Corn Borer (ACB)
Conclusions of the government-commissioned study*:
o Philippine corn borer populations are highly
susceptible to crystalline protein of Bt corn.
o After 4 years of monitoring for possible field-
evolved resistance, corn borer populations in the
Philippines remain susceptible to Bt corn hybrids.
Evidence on Successful Implementation of
the Phil. IRM Plan –

18. III. Partnership for Public Participation & Education
Different modalities employed include:
1. Conduct of public seminar, forum, scientific symposium, roundtable discussions
2. Conduct of one-on-one dialogues with key stakeholders, focused group
discussions
3. Guest appearances on TV and radio programs
4. Writing of news features and press releases
5. Production of books on the different aspects of biotechnology and biosafety;
other printed materials (primers, brochures, newsletters, magazines, comic
books, posters)
6. Production of documentary videos and instructional CDs
7. Development of dedicated websites on biotech and biosafety; maintenance of e-
newsletters, email distributions lists and discussion groups
8. Conduct of study tours, laboratory demos, biotech farm visits, biotech fairs and
exhibits
9. Others: biotech journalism awards, biotech quiz contests, biotech games

19. Biotechnology information materials

20. Media
Outreach and
Press
Releases

21. National Biotech Quiz
Asian Farmers’ Exchange Programs
Public Seminars
Exhibits

22. Annual Biotech Journalism Awards

23. National Biotech Week
(every last week of November)

24. Comparative
perception on
perceived benefits
of food biotech in
the next 5 years –
the five (5)
representative
countries
%
35%
55%
10%
China
25%
70%
5%
India Philippines
18%
73%
9%
Japan Korea
45%
24%
31%
71%
11%
18%
Yes
No
Don't Know
Results from:
“Consumer Perceptions of Food Biotech
in Asia: 2008 Consumer Survey”
by the Asian Food Information Center

25. Philippines: Awareness about plant biotechnology is high and
positively correlates with favorability and acceptance of
biotechnology to produce foods.
73% of respondents expect
benefits from food biotechnology
78% of respondents have a neutral
or favorable impression of using
biotechnology to produce foods
Perceived benefits of food
biotechnology in the next 5Y
Attitude toward biotech food
Don't
know
18%
Yes
73%
No
9%
quite favorable
18%
neutral
19%
quite unfav
16%
very unfavorable
0%
no opinion
6%
very favorable
41%
Source: AFIC, 2008

26. IV. Partnership for Evidence-Based Policy:
Phil. National Standard (PNS) on Halal Food
o From 2008, there was active engagement with the
Filipino Muslim community, especially the Ulama, to
address the issue of non-certification as halal of biotech-
derived food
o Original PNS provision concerning biotech-derived
food:
Section 13.3: Food derived from genetically engineered
food cannot be subject to halal certification.

27. Source: FAHIM, World Halal Forum 2009, Malaysia

29. With the endorsement
of the ulama, the
TWG of DTI recently
voted unanimously to
endorse the
amendment of the
Halal Standards

31. for the safe and responsible use of
biotechnology
Thank you