Experts Clash Over Ratification of Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety in the Philippines

A group of biotechnology experts and government scientists clashed over the ratification of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety in the Philippines. The experts, led by Dr. Saturnina Halos, argued in favor of ratifying the protocol, citing the benefits it would bring to the country, including access to funding from the United Nations Environmental Program. However, other experts, including Dr. Eufemio Rasco and Dr. Teresita Espino, expressed concerns over the protocol's outdated assumptions and the potential economic costs of compliance.

Key Takeaways:

• The Philippine government has been implementing the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety since 1990, and experts argue that ratification would bring further benefits, including access to funding from the United Nations Environmental Program.
• Dr. Eufemio Rasco, a former dean of the University of the Philippines-Mindanao, argued that the Cartagena Protocol was drafted based on the wrong assumption that biotechnology is a weapon of mass destruction and is now obsolete.
• Dr. Teresita Espino, head of the University of the Philippines National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (Biotech), suggested that the government implement a clear-cut policy starting with the proper identification of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) to be regulated.
• Some scientists estimate that adopting the Cartagena Protocol could result in additional costs of up to $10 million annually.
• The Philippine Senate has yet to ratify the Cartagena Protocol six years after the country signed it.

Statistics:

• The Philippines has been implementing the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety since 1990.
• The protocol's ratification could result in additional costs of up to $10 million annually.
• The Philippine Senate has yet to ratify the Cartagena Protocol six years after the country signed it.