MANILA, 1 December 2007 — Whether we like it or not, genetically modified forestry will come to the Philippines.
Abraham Manalo, executive sdecretary of Biotechnology Coalition of the Philippines (BCP), made this prediction in a seminar on forestry biotechnology held at the Bureau of Plant Industry in Quezon City on Wednesday.
He urged the country to be ready for such an eventuality. The need for genetically engineered trees is forthcoming because the present forest condition is in bad shape. This is a quick response to mitigate climate change, secure water reserve, develop livelihood for Filipinos, conserve biodiversity and produce biofuels, among others, he said.
In a paper presented in the forum, Dr. Saturnina Halos, BCP director for research, debunked the present fears on GMOs saying that forest modification is safe based on experiments that have been conducted. Some countries, notably, the United States, Papua New Guinea and Australia are already into genetic engineering of trees.
Scientists choose the traits that are beneficial such as insect- and disease-resistance of trees. Examples of popular trees mostly planted under experimental conditions are the falcata, gubas, narra and gemelina.
Halos likewise said that possible adverse consequences of modified forestry can be controlled. Negative consequences only happen during hybridizing of trees and where genes spread in natural selection.
“People’s fear of new species of trees thriving and other trees dying as a result can be resolved if the forester will not use native species,” she stressed.
Likewise, fear that the use of Bt resistant trees may promote the development of resistant insects after sometime is baseless, Halos noted. She compared this with the use of Bt pesticides that have been in use for 40 years now. After rampant use of Bt pesticide, a new species of pesticide-resistant insects developed.
Bt crops such as corn have been planted in the Philippines for 10 years now. But no insect resistant strain has been developed yet.
“We have not seen it in Bt crops. It means that the strategy is working,” Halos explained.
Foresters in the forum reported how the local military encamped in Quezon and Laguna cut trees in the forest for logs and sell them. They said that if one sees the top view of the mountains, one discovers that the remaining trees are only those that can be seen along the highways to cover up rampant logging in the area. It is already denuded.
Forester Jesus Javier, chief of the Reforestation Division of the Forest Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), said his agency will look into the report and said that genetically engineered trees will provide livelihood to 26 percent of 86 million Filipinos who live in upland areas.
“Mas madaling magbilang ng puno kaysa sa magbilang ng patay na tao,”(It is better to count trees than count dead bodies) he said.
