STS REVIEWER (LESSON 7)

GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS

Rosalie Ellasus (2001) - Introduced Bt Corn - Genetically modified corn that is resistant to the
destructive Asian corn borer.

Genetic engineering - Process: deliberate manipulation of the organism’s genes

-Coined by Jack Williamson - Author of the science fiction novel Dragon’s Island

1973 - Antibiotic resistant E. coli bacteria was created

roles of GMO in the food and agricultural industries:

1. Pest resistance
2. Virus resistance
3. Herbicide tolerance
4. Fortification
5. Cosmetic preservation
6. Increase growth rate

GMOs in Non-Food Crops and Microorganisms

1. Flower production
2. Paper production
3. Pharmaceutical productions
4. Bioremediation
5. Enzyme and drug production
6. GMOs in the medical field

6 ways GMOs Impact Society

1. GMOs provide economic benefits to millions of consumer

2. 2. GMOs reduce agriculturally related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
3. GMOs reduce soil erosion
4. GMOs conserve water
5. GMOs substantially decrease the use of many agricultural chemicals
6. GMO technology also has the potential to improve the lives of millions in the developing world.

Advantages of Genetically Modified Organism

 Pest resistance
 Healthy tolerance
 Disease resistance
  Cold tolerance
 Drought tolerance/ salinity tolerance
 Nutrition
 Pharmaceuticals
 Phytoremediation

Disadvantages of Genetically Modified Organisms

 Long term health effects

 Reduced Biodiversity
 Cross pollination
 Genetic consequences
 Intellectual property
 Human health
 Food supply at risk
 Environmental destruction

GMOs in Philippine Context

1990 - National Committee on Biosafety of the Philippines (NCBP)

- Executive Order No. 430

- Developed the guidelines on the planned release of genetically manipulated organisms (GMOs)
and potentially harmful exotic species in 1998.

2002 - Philippines was marked to be the first country in Asia to approved commercial cultivation of
GMOs.

From December 2002 to present - 70 GMO application approved by the Department of Agriculture (62
for food feed and processing; 8 for propagation)

2004 - Philippines was classified by International Service for acquisition of agri-biotech applications as
one of the fourteen biotech-mega countries

- Senator Juan Flavier authored a bill on the mandatory labeling of food and food products with
GMOs.

2006 - Philippines became part of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety.

2010 - Organic Agriculture Act; Negros Organic Island; Organic Agriculture Ordinance

2012 - Representative Teddy Casiño filed a bill pushing for mandatory labeling of GM food and food
products

December 2015 - Supreme Court ordered to put an end to the field testing of GMO Bt eggplant and
declared Administrative Order No. 8 series of 2002 of the Department of Agriculture as null and void.
March 7, 2016 - Department of Science and Technology, Department of Agriculture, Department of
Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Health, and Department of the Interior and Local
Government passed a Joint Department Circular No. 1., series of 2016 on rules and regulations for the
research and development, handling and use, transboundary movement, release in the environment,
and management of the genetically modified plant and plant products derived from the use of modern
biotechnology.