The government's research capability in biotechnology research has been considerably boosted with the building of a biological containment level 2 greenhouse (BL 2) at the University of the Philippines Los Baņos-Institute of Plant Breeding (UPLB-IPB).

BL 2 is a physical containment facility for the evaluation of genetically modified crops or transgenic plants.  Such facility is required by the National Committee on Biosafety of the Philippines (NCBP) for the contained trials of transgenic crops, said UPLB-IPB headed by Director Desiree Hautea which inaugurated the BL 2 last June 5 on the occasion of the celebration of its 27th anniversary.

Initially, the BL 2 greenhouse will be used for transformed Davao "Solo" papaya that has been genetically engineered for resistance against the deadly papaya ringspot virus (PRSV) under the project "Agrobacterium-mediate Transformation of Davao 'Solo' Papaya for PRSV Resistance".

The greenhouse was funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), the Los Baņos-based DOST-Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD), and the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA).

Among those present during the inauguration of BL 2 were DOST Secretary Estrella F. Alabastro, former UP president Emil Q. Javier, ISAAA Global Director Randy Hautea, UPLB Chancellor Wilfredo P. David, IPB Director Desiree Hautea, PCARRD Crops Research director Dr. Joy Eusebio, and Philippine Sugar Institute (PHILSURIN) director Leon Arceo.