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GMO a threat in Negor

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As if there are not enough horrors surrounding humanity, Negros Oriental is now being asked by a pro-GMO (genetically-modified organism) group to revise Provincial Ordinance No. 7 (series of 2010) as a non-GMO status area so their BT corn can be distributed in the Province.

BT stands for Bacillus thuringiensis, a species of bacteria used as a biological pesticide that is already lodged in each seed of BT corn. So that a corn borer’s digestive system will be paralyzed, and therefore, starved to death, when it eats the corn.

A GMO seed company sells these seeds as a package to the farmers. This package includes fertilizers and herbicides.

Herbicides, as we know, kill the weeds surrounding the corn. Glysophate and Round Up is the popular brand in the Philippines for the herbicide. Most GMO crops are glysophate-dependent. Glysophate is globally subject to massive litigation claims, and is implicated as the cause of multiple cancers. (The Failures of Genetically-Modified Organisms/AGROFOR 2019)

A letter dated Jan. 24 addressed to the Governor, our Vice Governor and the Board Members of the Province from Crop Science Prof. Teodoro Mendoza and UPLB Scientist, tells the story of corn farmers.

Actual experiences of corn farmers in 38 municipalities of three provinces within the Cagayan Valley Region and adjoining localities of Apayao, Cagayan and Isababela provinces who are members of the CREDO Savings & Agrarian Reform Cooperative (more than 3,000 members) showed undesirable and very frustrating outcome ([email protected]). This happened when they planted P30T80 in more than 4,000 hectares. Farmers were convinced to plant this GMO corn as they were promised that yields will be high as much as 11 to 12 tons per hectare. Farmers do not have money to buy the expensive hybrid seeds, fertilizers and pesticides which include Glyphosphate or Round Up — the popular brand name in the Philippines. This was addressed by designing a credit scheme so farmers could afford the technology package and the costs involved. Cutting the story short, the corn plants did not give the promised high yield. The yield obtained by farmers was only 1.0 to 1.5 tons per hectare (Complaint of CREDO Savings & Agrarian Reform Cooperative on the performance of pioneer 30T80, February 2012.) Result, they were not able to pay back their loans.

While the GMO companies are broadcasting the yield and income benefits from planting BT Corn, they are silent on the adverse effects.

Killing the weeds with herbicides will eliminate the weeds. Because corn is also often grown in slopes, heavy erosion occurs, rendering a depleted soil condition that is prone to landslides during heavy rains.

Whatever you spray in your plants and soil will eventually find its way to the rivers and the sea, endangering fish catch, as was experienced by the fisherfolk of Cagayan river after a massive planting of BT corn in their area.

Pesticides and chemical fertilizers endanger precious water resources. One issue of Swiss Revue discussed the plight of the water distributors in Switzerland. They issued a statement they cannot guarantee the safety of the water for household use unless there is a halt or intense reduction of the spraying of chemicals and pesticides in agriculture.

What about our own water resources? Who monitors the safety of our drinking water? Who monitors for the pesticide residues that are regularly sprayed on our food sources?

In a public hearing of the Provincial Board on Jan. 27, former Environment & Natural Resources USec. Dr. Ben Malayang, former president of Silliman University, exhorted on the need for biosafety, discussing some laws that the Philippines implements to protect public health as it promotes the economy. It is a delicate balancing act, he said. Dr. Malayang urged the Board Members to especially pay attention to Executive Order 514 which is based on the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety.

This Protocol specifies that the use of products from new technologies must be based on the Precautionary Principle, allowing the banning of GMOs if there is not enough scientific evidence that the product is safe. It also requires the strict labelling of shipments containing genetically-altered commodities.

After declaring the Province as non-GMO in 2010 together with Negros Occidental, the Negros Island Sustainable Agriculture & Rural Development Foundation Inc. (NISARD) was born. Envisioning the whole Negros island as an organic island was a dream realized but shakily-sustained.

Before that time, my friends and many others were clueless as to where to buy organic produce. People are now health-conscious, especially as there are a lot of diseases ready to pounce if you did not eat healthy — which meant for us, “willing to pay more for organically-grown produce”.

There has been some improvement. There are organic stalls in the Daro Farmers Market. There is even an association of organic mango growers but their produce is not for local consumption as it has a ready market, usually Japan and Germany. There indeed is a high demand for organic produce in the world.

As Edgardo Uychiat of NISARD Bacolod said in his presentation, the opportunity is knocking on the portals of Negros island. A healthy soil free from pesticides and chemicals means healthy produce, resulting in healthy people.

Big areas of Negros are blessed with volcanic soil (dark loam). Let Negros strengthen to the max its organic agriculture movement. Let us produce most of the food we need to be eaten locally. This way, we can avoid any shortage of food if unfortunate events happen in other places cutting supplies. Let us build resilient communities locally.

The Department of Interior & Local Government has issued memorandum circular No. 2019-70 directing all local chief executives to become members of the League of Organic Agriculture Municipalities and Cities of the Philippines. So far, around 120 mayors are members of LOAMC-Ph. In Negros Oriental, only Bacong Mayor Lenin Alviola, and Bindoy Mayor Valente Yap are LOAMC members.

Allowing the planting of GMOs will be a contradiction to the spirit of LOAMC-Ph and the DILG memorandum.

There are amazing stories of good organic agriculture practices happening in the whole country. They only need a voice.
On Feb. 11-15, the Organic 4.0 National Conference will happen in Iloilo. There will be inputs from permaculture and biodynamic farming, including Organic 3.0 where Mayors are converting one million hectares to organic farming. Building Food Ecosystems will be discussed, including Quantum Agriculture. Anyone interested may log on to Facebook account ESSA (Ecosystem of Stakeholders for Sustainable Agriculture) or contact the event organizer, Leeyan Dasmariñas at 0930-732-6802.

The organic movement is unstoppable, and we want to ride on that wave so there should be no place for GMO in our beloved Negros Island. Or anywhere else in this world for that matter.

______________________________________

Author’s email: [email protected]

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