City stands firm vs eggplant testing

Saturday, November 12, 2011

THE City Government told proponents of the controversial Bacillus thurigiensis eggplant or the “Bt talong” to make things clear first before they could run the second round of testing they are mulling.

Leonardo Avila III, acting chief of the City Agriculturist Office (CAO), said the City Government in general did not change its stance in opposing the open field test of Bt talong in any parts of the city, even inside the University of the Philippines in Mindanao (UPMin), in Mintal, this city.

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The UP Los Baños as well as the UPMin along with funding agencies are the proponents of the introduction of Bt talong in Davao City.

Bt talong is an example of a genetically-modified organism, which has an innate capability of protecting itself from some sorts of insects, particularly borer.

Despite the earlier cease and desist order issued by Davao City Mayor Sara Z. Duterte on December 3, 2010, ordering UPMin chancellor Dr. Gilda Rivero to stop Bt talong trials, the proponents are mulling to run the second round anytime soon.

Duterte said the university has failed to comply with majority of the conditions set by the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI).

The mayor’s order stated a condition that a field test can only be done inside a confine environment.

Avila said the two parties did not agree on a similar definition of a confine environment where the trial will take place.

Avila, however, said Bt talong proponents did not specify when will be the day of the next trial in the city.

Last November 4, Avila invited the project proponents in a forum to give an update on the project.

For the part of the City Government, Avila said, a confined environment must be an environment where even the pollens will be confine inside the same environment and even bees and other forms of pollenators cannot enter.

"Ang atoa lang gina likayan diri na dili ma contaminate ang ubang mga panananum (What we are avoiding here is the possible contamination of other crop)," Avila said.

Apart from that, the accountability aspect of the project hasn't also been clarified by the proponent. Avila said the proponent must clarify who will be responsible for any legal suits that might be filed in relation to the implementation of the project.

To recall, the City Council a few months ago junked the request of UPMin professor Gerardo A. Santos who sought the approval of the City Council for the continuance of a field testing of Bt talong in the city saying the public must not be deprived of a free choice between crops that are organically grown and genetically modified.

Santos requested the council to reconsider the field testing of the Bt talong in the city after the City Government had ordered stoppage of a similar test inside the UP campus in December last year.