‘CA decision hinders fight against malnutrition’
THE decision of the Court of Appeals (CA) to halt the commercial release of genetically modified (GM) crops could adversely affect the country’s efforts to fight malnutrition, according to a member of the Monetary Board (MB).
MB Member V. Bruce J. Tolentino, who was a former Deputy Director General of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), said the decision will also prevent the improvement of breeding technology.
The CA barred the Department of Agriculture (DA) and other concerned government agencies from pushing through with the commercial release of genetically modified rice or Golden Rice and eggplant products or Bt Eggplant.
(See: https://businessmirror. com.ph/2024/04/23/commercial-release-of-gm-rice-eggplant-halted-by-ca/)
In a 143-page decision penned by Associate Justice Jennifer Joy C. Ong, the CA’S Fourth Division granted the petition filed by farmers and environmental groups for a writ of kalikasan directing respondents UPLB and the Philippine Rice Research Institute to desist from commercially propagating and conducting activities relating to Bt Eggplant and Golden Rice, respectively, until all concerned government agencies submit proof of safety of and compliance with legal requirements.
The CA also granted the writ of continuing mandamus, which ordered the concerned respondents government agencies to submit to the CA strengthened risk assessment procedures and concrete mechanisms to monitor all activities conducted under the Joint Department Circular (JDC) Nos. 1-2016 and 1-2021 issued by the Department of Science and Technology, the DA, the Departments of Environment and Natural Resources, Health and the Interior and Local Government.
The joint circular governs all aspects related to genetically modified plant products derived from modern technology.
The CA pointed out the “insufficiencies” of the JDC provisions about monitoring, labelling of GMOS and adoption of realistic time frame for processing of biosafety permit applications.
“The CA decision halting the research by Philrice and UPLB [University of the Philippines Los Bano] on GM commodities is a step backward for the Philippines, with serious negative impact on efforts to attain nutrition security and improve crop and germplasm breeding technology. Unfortunately, the decision is based on a fear of science and misplaced populism,” Tolentino said.
He also lamented that the decision of the CA will delay the release of these crops for at least a decade. “[It will] probably delay for years and years, in addition to all the years of delay that have already been incurred and wasted so far.”
Based on the latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), malnutrition killed 3,879 Filipinos in the January to November 2023 period. However, this represented an 18.7-percent decline from the 4,771 Filipinos who died of malnutrition in 2022.
In 2021, a Global Agricultural Information Network (Gain) report indicated that the commercial propagation of Golden Rice in the Philippines is “a huge boost” to the country’s efforts to eradicate hunger and malnutrition and achieve food security by 2030.
The Gain report noted that the Philippines became the first country in the world to approve Golden Rice for commercial propagation.
Citing data from the Philrice, the Gain report noted that only 2 out of 10 Filipino households meet the estimated average requirement for vitamin A in their daily diet.
“While beta carotene is naturally available in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, it is not present in milled rice,” it said.
Meanwhile, planting Bt eggplant will allow farmers to quadruple their income, according to Dr. Cesar B. Quicoy, assistant professor of the UPLB’S College of Economics and Management.
Businessmirror reported in 2011 that the increase in net income would come from substantial savings from pesticides use, pesticide labor cost, as well as increase in yield.
Quicoy’s study titled “Economics of Eggplant Production and Potential Impact of Bt Eggplant,” noted that for every hectare planted to Bt eggplant, the yield is estimated at 12,082 kilograms.
At P10.77 per kilo, the gross revenue of farmers could reach P130,123 per hectare. Net income could go as high as P65,489 per hectare.
Quicoy noted that planting Bt eggplant would result in a 55 percent reduction in pesticide use. Also, pesticide labor cost could decline by 60 percent.