UP LOS BAŅOS - The Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry & Natural Resources Research & Development (PCARRD) and the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA) turned over a newly-constructed biological containment level 2 greenhouse (BL 2) to the University of the Philippines in Los Baņos Institute of Plant Breeding (IPB) in ceremonies conducted last Wednesday.

DOST Secretary Estrella F. Alabastro, PCARRD Director Jocelyn Eusebio, UPLB Chancellor Dr. Wilfredo P. David, IPB Director Desiree M. Hautea, and Dr. Randy A. Hautea, ISAAA global coordinator led the guests and important personalities.  The event coincided with the IPB 27th anniversary celebration.

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.

Secretary Alabastro, addressing the occasion, said she saw the inauguration and turnover of the BL2 greenhouse as a triumph of the productive partnership her office and UPLB had always promoted and encouraged.

She added, "Even way back in 1998, when we started providing support for the genetic modification of commercially important fruits at IPB-UPLB, we had recognized the need to build a greenhouse that will meet all the stringent biosafety requirements of the NCBP.  And even then, I recall that DOST had committed to helping UPLB in putting up this facility.  I am pleased to see this commitment being fulfilled."

Director Eusebio, speaking for PCARRD Executive Director Patricio S. Faylon, stated the inauguration of the BL2 greenhouse was a step towards the realization of their common goal of pushing to successful ends biotechnology R&D programs. 

"This structure is part and parcel of our attempt to harness the potential of biotechnology to solve urgent and pressing problems of agriculture," she declared.

The BL2 greenhouse is a special type of facility built for modern biotechnology studies of different transgenic crops.  The structure is made up of approved standard materials such as fiberglass, impact-resistant glass and aluminum.  Added features are walls with double screen sidings and double door at the back of the main structure which shall be kept locked at all times and used only for emergency purposes.  The main greenhouse has an area of 72 square meters approximately.  It comprises a head house with two anterooms fitted with sticky pest strips and insecticide aerosol devices to kill insects that may gain entry.