Biotech
ADVOCACY 2005: A
leap frog from initial efforts
The
current Biotechnology Awareness and Advocacy Campaign Program for region
2 is a leap frog from the phase 1 effort for the
Phase
2 expands the campaign to the whole of
A more
comprehensive and integrated information, education and communication (IEC)
strategy is the implementing vehicle in the current campaign, the Integrated
Information, Education and Communication Campaign and Advocacy for
Modern Biotechnology.
The
Cagayan Valley Agriculture and Resources Research and Development
Consortium (CVARRD) as the main regional implementer of the program
through team leader Dr. Helen Ramos, collaborates with the Dapartment of
Agriculture Biotechnology Program Implementing Unit (DA Biotech PIU), Philippine
Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and
Development (PCARRD), the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate
Study and Research in Agriculture- Biotechnology Information Center (SEARCA-BIC), and the Biotechnology
Coalition of the Philippines, Inc. (BCP) and the Biotechnology for Life
Media and Advocacy Resource Center (BMARC).
Integral
components
Being
integrated, the strategies tap all available information channels
including ICT to hype awareness and encourage advocacy. Thus, integral project components are the national IEC campaign
and advocacy through media, the establishment and nurturance of
biotechnology information nodes (BIN), and the regional IEC campaign and
advocacy.
The
first component, national IEC campaign and advocacy through media,
constitutes six strategies, i.e., biotech media and advocacy resource
center, biotech news and information group, biotech advocacy group,
multi-sectoral national speakers’ bureau, production of promotional
and education materials, and media seminar and workshops.
Establishment
and nurturance of BIN is the ICT component, targeting establishment of
BINs, website development and maintenance, content building and
management, knowledge sharing and exchange, information networking,
trainings, and production of CD-based information materials.
Components
1 and 2 complement component 3, the regional IEC campaign and advocacy
with its strategies awareness campaign, coalition building, knowledge
and information management, and research.
Phase
1, the initial efforts
As an initial effort in the region on promoting awareness on
modern biotechnology, phase 1 focused on Isabela province. Activities were aimed to provide the public with enough
scientific information as bases for conclusions on numerous
controversies against modern biotechnology streamlined in the field.
Major implementation strategies included establishment of
the first regional Biotechnology Information Center (BIC) in the country- the BIC
of Cagayan Valley, symposia and fora, numerous dialogues, and
information broadcasts.
