Coalition (APC) and the ANAKPAWIS party list group lambasted the
Macapagal-Arroyo regime for letting the entry of
genetically-engineered (GE) rice in the Philippines.
According to Danilo "Ka Daning" Ramos, concurrent secretary general of
KMP and APC, "Contamination of the domestic rice supply by GE rice
varieties which have not been earlier approved for commercial releases
in the US has been found and documented in the Philippines, Japan and
China. Field releases of GE rice for research and development purposes
have been conducted here and China as well,"
"The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and the Philippine
Rice Research Institute (Philrice) has done experiments on yellow stem
borer-resistant rice (Bt rice) which eventually failed. The
Philippines is the only country in Southeast Asia that has allowed a
field experiment on GE rice. The IRRI and Philrice are taking
advantage of the low level of awareness of Filipinos regarding GE rice
by conducting surveys projecting that we are ready for these
products," added the peasant leader.
Meanwhile Ka Willy Marbella, internal deputy secretary general of KMP
and ANAKPAWIS party list nominee said that, "In August 2006 the US
rice supply was contaminated by the Bayer Crop Science's Liberty-Link
GE rice, LLRICE601, a GE variety not approved for commercial release
in the US. The company was so quick in exporting it that it has
reached Japan, Europe and even the Philippines especially its LLRICE62
variety,"
"The Macapagal-Arroyo regime did nothing about it and is even
promoting it even if it would have adverse effects on the health of
its citizens and to the environment as well. We should also be careful
on the hand-outs the government is giving out especially rice, because
the regime is trying to dispose of this rice quickly. It is using the
hunger of Filipinos to cover up its mistakes by giving contaminated
dole outs to the people which would cause health problems to the end
user. This should be roundly exposed and opposed by the citizenry,"
ended Marbella. # # #
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