CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro — Farmers, officials, scientists and advocates gathered to review the province's ban on genetically modified (GM) crops and what lifting it could mean for corn growers.
The recent discussion, organized by the Provincial Agriculture Office of Oriental Mindoro, Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture, and the Department of Agriculture (DA) Biotechnology Program Office, centered on policy, science and the realities of the field.
Oriental Mindoro has enforced Provincial Ordinance 03-2024, the Environment Code and Ordinance 002-2007, barring the entry and propagation of GM organisms.
Lily Mae Lim of the Provincial Government Environment and Natural Resources Office said the ordinances protect biodiversity, public health and sustainable agriculture. They also require review and public consultation before any GM crop is allowed.
The ban has also affected government support.
Franz Gerwen Cardano of DA-Mimaropa said provinces without GM restrictions, such as Occidental Mindoro and Palawan, get more benefits from the DA corn and cassava programs.
These include mechanization, production aid and postharvest facilities.
Oriental Mindoro corn farmers received only P2.5 million for 2026. The province's yellow corn sufficiency level is just 5.42 percent.
"If we provide high-yielding seed varieties along with all the necessary inputs, the farmers' harvest will improve," Cardano said.
Farmers seek policy review
The review followed requests from corn-growing towns and farmer groups. Provincial agriculturist Christine Pine said seven of eight major corn-producing municipalities support reassessing the policy.
"Oriental Mindoro is very much deprived of assistance," said Pine, adding that the review balances farmers' requests with environmental concerns.
Municipal officials and farmers cited pest outbreaks, climate change, rising costs and low productivity as major problems.
They said GM corn, especially Bacillus thuringiensis of Bt corn that produces its own natural insecticide, could reduce pesticide use and improve yields and income.
Municipal agriculturist Rommel de Guzman of Bulalacao said policy should follow science and farmer needs, noting that while GM corn is banned locally, other GM products are still consumed.
Safety and regulation
Experts said GM crops in the Philippines undergo strict biosafety checks.
Reynante Ordonio of the Philippine Rice Research Institute said biotechnology is a regulated tool that works with organic farming. It can boost yields and lower pest risks. Approved GM crops include Bt corn, Golden Rice, Bt talong and Bt cotton.
Sheeb Kaiserin Exconde of the DA-Bureau of Plant Industry said the biosafety system was built over three decades.
"It aims to advance innovation while protecting people and the environment," Exconde said.
Vivencio Mamaril of the DA Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority said approvals require review by the Departments of Science and Technology, Environment and Natural Resources, Health, and the Interior and Local Government.
The review covers food safety, environmental impact and animal feed safety. Public consultation is also required.
Dr. Nina Gloriani, former dean of the University of the Philippines-Manila College of Public Health, said no approved GM crop has been proven to increase allergies from genetic modification, adding that strict biosafety rules protect public and environmental health.
Field results
Pangasinan farmer Rosalie Ellasus shared her experience with Bt corn. Her yield rose from 3.2 metric tons per hectare to 9.2 metric tons per hectare after using stacked-trait Bt corn.
She said pesticide use and labor dropped sharply.
"With Bt corn, the produce is clean, pest-free, and my cost of production is lower, while the yield is much higher," Ellasus said.
Farming more land and helping other farmers improve yields, Ellasus said lower pesticide use and higher yields mean lower costs and higher income for farmers facing pests and tight budgets.
Officials also discussed how GM and organic farming can coexist. Ordonio said farmers should have the freedom to choose the right technology.
GM crops follow Joint Department Circular 1, Series of 2021. Organic farming follows Republic Act 10068.
Mamaril said several provinces already allow both systems with proper management. Measures include 500-meter buffers for corn, staggered planting, physical barriers and farm planning.
Access and choice
Stakeholders listed three main advantages of GM crops: access to DA programs limited by the ban, higher yields from Bt and high-yielding varieties and less pesticide use and labor.
Cardano said lifting the ban would let Oriental Mindoro benefit fully from regional DA programs. Towns and farmer groups said GM corn could solve pest problems and raise yields where weather and costs keep production low.
Officials clarified that the discussions do not mean the policy will change; they are meant to gather input.
Board member Alexandra Casubuan-Tan, chairman of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Committee on Agriculture, said both benefits and concerns must be considered.
DA Biotechnology Program Office Director Paul Limson said debate is normal in decisions about livelihoods.
"When we talk about biotechnology and organic farming, we are not just talking about science or policy," Limson said. "We are talking about livelihoods, values and the future direction of agriculture."
Participants agreed that more consultations with stakeholders are needed. They supported rules that let organic and GM farming operate side by side safely, with farmers free to choose.