The professionals who have an extensive knowledge about agriculture said that Philippines is taking a lead in production of food. They also added that the country belongs to the so-called “mega-countries” that is responsible for germinating and developing genetically modified or transgenic crops.

This information based on research was presented in the forum held at the US Embassy in Manila.

Philippines was also ranked 12th out of 28 countries in the year 2012 in developing GM crops based on the study conducted by non-profit organization International service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications.

Other countries which were included on the list of top five GM crop growing are the United States, Brazil, Argentina, Canada and India. On the other hand, Philippines as mentioned earlier made it to the record of 18 mega countries which has a land area of not less than 50,000 hectares in developing biotech crop.

According to Peter J. Davies, an international professor of plant biology at Cornell University in New York, who attended the video conference, genetically modified is the fastest method of technology that is used globally and the Philippines is leading the way in testing and promoting this kind of biotechnology. He also made less important the concerns about biotech crops which are dangerous and not compatible for consumption.

A detailed information sheet published by the US Department of Agriculture said that “the benefits of biotech corn to Filipino farmer’s livelihood, income and health have been well documented.” In addition to the research of USDA, the adoption of genetically modified or transgenic corn to Filipino farmers has a total of number 375,000 Filipino growers in the year 2012.

According to USDA, “The Philippines is al leader in international biotech research. Its robust and thorough regulatory system has been praised as a model for other countries.” The chairman of the National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology at the University of the Philippines in Los Baños, Reynaldo V. Ebora had undergone different studies which states that the development of biotech crops will lead to an extra income of up to 10,132 pesos per hectare or an advancement of up to 75 percent. After all these years, the Court of Appeals didn’t continue field trials on genetically modified corn and the so-called “bacillus thuringiensis” corn.

J. Domingo