TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol (PIA) – Despite an ordinance that bans the propagation and planting of genetically modified organisms (GMO) and the apparent entry of such prohibited acts when Bohol let its guards down during the past administration, Bohol is manning full bases to keep the island’s food safe from contamination.
Highlighting Bohol’s positioning as a province practicing sustainable organic agriculture for its people and the healthier food for thousands of tourists visiting the island, Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado, on September 13, wrote a letter to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, requesting Bohol to be spared from the introduction of GMOs.
Gov Aumentado told the president, who is also the Secretary the Department of Agriculture (DA), that since August of 2003, Bohol has enacted Provincial Ordinance No 2003-10, section of which reads: No person shall conduct any laboratory or field-testing or any activity whatsoever, for the propagation of or experimentation related to GMOs of any plant, animal, or micro-organism within the territorial jurisdiction of the province of Bohol.
And as if that is not enough, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan issued Resolution No. 2010-360, urging Boholanos to support the ordinance and help the provincial authorities in monitoring the entry, propagation and commercialization of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) talong, which has been promoted by the government, but is in fact a GMO by modern biotechnology techniques.
The governor also said some of the corn and eggplant seeds currently distributed by the DA are GMOs.
Seeing its disconnect with the local policy, the governor then urged the president to eclsude Bohol from the introduction of GMO seeds and materials, and from any activities related to studies, technology transfer, or experimentation related to GMO, and that any ongoing activities related to the above GMO, shall be halted, citing Republic Act 10066.
RA 10066 or the Organic Agriculture Act of 2010 explicitly excludes the use of GMOs in organic agriculture, which is the Provincial Government’s direction to enhance its food production.
The Aumentado letter which was coursed through the DA Regional Executive Director, has accordingly been endorsed to the DA secretary.
To note, the SP in Bohol received a resolution from corn growers association in Valencia Bohol requesting the Governor and the provincial legislators to amend the anti-GMO ordinance which holds them from planting GMO corn.
Through Resolution No. 1-2023, Botong, Marawis, Maubo, Omjon Corn Growers Association (BOMMOCA) through its president Teresita Gamale asserted that the amendment and or nullification of the ordinance would facilitate easier corn farming, especially during the time when labor costs or field preparation are high.
The BOMMOCA resolution was dated May 30, 2023.
In fact, no less than the DA Provincial Agricultural Technology Coordination Officer (PATCO) admitted during a meeting of the Provincial Disaster and Risk Reduction Management (PDRRM) that the DA has already introduced GMO corn in Bohol.
This stirred anti GMO groups who have been toeing the organic agriculture line, knowing that these could have already contaminated fields considering pollination, chemical inputs and pest management.
Amidst the rising concern, the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA), in a move to swing back he farmers from GMO corn proposed a P3,402,000 budget as intervention.
Provincial Agriculturist Liza Quirog proposed technical briefings, provision of free conventional hybrid yellow corn seeds, distribution of foliar fertilizer, provision of free tractor services in land preparation and provision of corn harvesters.
The intervention, focused on 350 corn farmers cultivating 405 hectares of GMO corn.
The OPA estimates the production cost per hectare of corn at P50,585, and with 405 hectares, has a yield potential of P20,486,925.
Farmers must be informed of the advantages and disadvantages of GMOs, OPA crops Productivity Division OIC Glaiza Melecio stated in the proposal.
One intervention is to support the farmers needs with foliar fertilizer.
Fertilization is a vital activity in corn production to obtain higher yield and increased volume of production, she said.
Aside from the provision of free tractor services for land preparation, they would also get support froma Combine harvester, she added.
As hybrid yellow corn seeds and foliar fertilizers have been allocated from the 2023 budget of the OPA, the P3.402M would be for 48,300 liters of crude oil of the tractor and harvester. (rahc/PIA_7/Bohol)
