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The
Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) is
open to a meeting with advocates and stakeholders in
biotechnology through a dialogue, Malolos Bishop Jose
Oliveros said.
Bishop
Oliveros, who chairs the CBCP Office on Bioethics,
stressed that a dialogue will enlighten all stakeholders
and even antibiotechnology and antigenetically modified
organism (GMO) groups, and all parties must be invited to
such a discussion.
On
Monday last week, Bishop Oliveros met with officials of
the Department of Agriculture and the Department of
Agriculture-Biotechnology Program Office (DA-BPO) to
discuss updates on biotechnology projects. He was briefed
on the benefits of biotechnology and the common
misconceptions about it.
The
bishop said the CBCP is open to sit down and learn more
about biotechnology. He declined to make any categorical
position on the matter since Pope Benedict XVI is expected
to issue the official position of the Roman Catholic
Church on the matter next month.
However, he hinted it may be possible for the Pope to
issue a favorable statement on the use of biotechnology.
“The
concern of the Holy Father is the fact that there are
millions of people who sleep at night hungry. So how do we
solve the question of hunger? Biotechnology gives us an
answer. And it would not be contrary to the nature of man
to use biotechnology because we were created by God with a
mind that can improve nature. So that is a principle that
can be used in allowing the use of biotechnology,”
Oliveros said
Nonetheless, he clarified that biotechnology advocates
cannot yet celebrate until the Pope issues the official
statement next month.
The
CBCP also raised concerns on the proper implementation of
the regulations on biotechnology products to ensure their
safety for humans, animals and the environment.
Department of Agriculture (DA) Undersecretary for Policy,
Planning, Research and Regulation Segfredo Serrano assured
Bishop Oliveros that proper regulation systems are in
place.
“We are
very proud of our regulatory system. Any product that has
not passed our evaluation and risk assessment will not
come into this country,” Serrano said.
The
Malolos bishop told biotechnology advocates to ensure the
safety of the use of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) corn, the
first genetically modified (GM) crop to be commercialized
in the Philippines.
DA
statistics from 1996 onward showed Bt corn farmers had
significantly higher yields than those who cultivate
traditional varieties.
The
CBCP Office on Bioethics earlier called on President
Arroyo to issue a moratorium on the planting and use of Bt
corn. The statement issued by the CBCP five years ago
raised concerns on the risk of Bt corn against human
health and the environment.
During
the meeting, Bishop Oliveros clarified, “We’re not totally
against it. We are just questioning the viability of the
product.”
He also
urged for incontrovertible scientific proof that Bt corn
would not harm humans and the environment.
National
Academy
of Science and Technology president Dr. Emil Javier
provided Bishop Oliveros with a ready answer. He said:
“Since 1996 up to now, [more than] 1 million hectares of
GM crops have been harvested and eaten. Wala namang
nagka-allergy o namatay sa pagkain ng Bt corn
dito kahit sa US [Nobody had an allergy or died by
eating Bt corn here or in the US].”
(Biolife
News Service) | 
