CSOs unite to fight Bt talong, calls the supreme court to issue TEPO and continuing mandamus

Press Release
June 14, 2012

QUEZON CITY  –  Farmers, scientist, doctors, lay leaders, members of the academe and consumers today unite to fight the Bt talong field testing, and calls the Supreme Court to protect the constitutional rights of the people. Members of Magsasaka at Siyentipiko para sa Pag-Unlad ng Agrikultura (MASIPAG), Sibol ng Agham at Teknolohiya (SIBAT), Consumer Rights for Safe Food (CRSF), Philippine Misereor Partnership Inc (PMPI), PILIPINA, SEARICE, MIRIAM Peace, Lingkod Tao Kalikasan (LTK) and SARILAYA joins the petitioners call for the Supreme Court to immediately issue the Temporary Environmental Protection Order (TEPO) to stop the Bt eggplant field trials.

Bt talong is an eggplant genetically modified to produce a toxin to combat the Fruit and Shoot Borer (FSB). Bt stands for Bacillus thuringiensis, a soil bacteria whose genes are inserted to the eggplant to produce toxins against FSB. Bt talong, which was originally from India, is now being tested in different sites across the Philippines for planned commercialization this year. In India however, the Minister on Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh order a moratorium on the commercialization of Bt Brinjal (Indian term for eggplant) due to concerns on health, environment and control of agrochem giant Monsanto in their food systems. The Bt brinjal developer Mahyco is a local subsidiary of Monsanto.

“We praise the Supreme Court for acting swiftly on the petition of the people to stop the Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) eggplant field testing. Through the issuance of the Writ of Kalikasan, it has temporarily stopped the new application of permits to field test Bt talong.  We praise the court for its decision to protect the Filipino people’s constitutional right to health and to a balanced and healthful ecology” said Dr Chito Medina, national Coordinator of farmer-scientis group MASIPAG.

The Writ of Kalikasan (writ of nature) is a legal remedy for environmental cases to protect and advance the constitutional right of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology. Recently, petitioners sought for a Writ of Kalikasan against the field testing of the Bt eggplant, which the Supreme Court en banc granted.  The petitioners include former Senator Orlando Mercado, Puerto Princesa Mayor Edward S. Hagedorn, Rep. Teodoro Casiño, Dr. Charito Medina of Magsasaka at Siyentipiko sa Pagpapaunlad ng Agrikultura (MASIPAG), lawyers Harry Roque and Maria Paz Luna, scientists Dr. Ben Malayang III of Silliman University and Dr. Romeo Quijano of University of the Philippines (UP) Manila, Catherine Untalan of Miss Earth Foundation, Leo Avila, representing the City Government of Davao, and activist-musician Noel Cabangon.

The group however is still very much concerned, as the Supreme Court has yet to issue a writ of continuing mandamus and Temporary Environemntal Protection Order (TEPO), while field testing of Bt talong still continues. “We firmly believe that if the multi-location trials of the genetically modified (GM) eggplants persist, they will pose serious threats not only to the farmers, but also to the consumers’ health and the environment as well” added Medina.

SIBAT whose work focuses on developing groundbreaking technologies using science and technology that are appopriate for community development, sees that if the multi-location field trial of Bt talong continue, this will affect organic farmers due to possible contamination of native eggplant varieties. “Studies show that cross-pollination among eggplants is high, where insects acting as pollinators could travel a reasonable distance. The inevitable occurrence of contamination could greatly affect the rich biodiversity of eggplants and related varieties in the Philippines. Contamination of the non-GM plants would undermine not only the farmers’ freedom of choice in seeds and technology, but the consumers’ right to information and freedom of choice as well. Also, GMOs is inconsistent with the Organic Agriculture Law that excludes the use of such products” said Shen Maglinte of SIBAT.

CRSF is a network of advocates who aims to build a pro-active and empowered network of consumers and producers working, coordinating and cooperating towards the availability and affordability of safe and nutritious food. Grace Chua of CRSF said that genetically modified produce which contains a gene of a foreign species such as that of a bacteria is not equivalent to natural crops and therefore needs extensive tests for its safety for human consumption and environmental impact. “International studies have shown that GM products have adverse effects on the digestive, respiratory and reproductive systems of laboratory animals. If Bt talong will be commercialized, it will greatly threaten the health and safety of the Filipino consumers. We believe that consumers should have the right to choose to be free from consuming Genetically Modified Organisms but is not given this right because of the lack of proper labeling laws” said Chua.

Philippine Misereor Partnership, Inc said that they are very much concerned with the recent developments on agriculture in the country. According to Yolly Esguerra, PMPI secretariat that “the government has the obligation to provide a balanced information on any technology that could potentially harm so as the people can have an informed opinion on the issue. However, government agencies and their scientists harp on the supposed benefits and advantages of Bt talong and continue to downplay new data and information presented by independent scientists, experts and institutions on the possible dangers of Bt talong.”

In India, the Ministry of Forestry and Environment imposed a moratorium on the release of Bteggplant, citing its impacts not only on food safety and security, but also on the Indian peoples’ culture. Considered to be the world’s center of biodiversity of eggplant varieties, the crop plays a tremendous role in the everyday life of Indian peoples. In the Philippines however, there were no known studies made by regulators such as the National Committee on Biosafety or the Bureau of Plant Industry on the effects of Bt eggplant on human health and the Environment.

“The Indian government chose to uphold the welfare and interests of its people after extensive consultations across the nation. But here, the Bt talong field testing commenced even without proper consultation and information to the community. This has prompted Brgy Pangasugan of Baybay, Leyte, Sta Barbara of Iloilo and the City of Davao to stop the field test in their areas. In Davao, the Bt talong field test was ordered to be uprooted because of lack of consultation” added Basilio Prado, a MASIPAG farmer based in Nueva Vizcaya.

Prado added that there are many options to control the fruit-and-shoot borer which is safer and less expensive. “Bt talong is just a ploy to further commercialize agriculture and take away the rights of the farmers to seed sharing and appropriate, safe technologies. It is puzzling why the proponents has been focusing on Bt talong, whereas in India a moratorium on the commercialization was passed by the Minister of Environment of Forestry and Environment as they are also cautious on the damages that Bt eggplant may cause” added Prado.