TAGBILARAN CITY-The provincial board of Bohol on Monday took a protectionist standpoint and declared the province as GMO-free.

The board unanimously Ok'd a resolution proposed by the agriculture committee, banning genetically-modified organisms from the province after a series of dialogues and consultation with farmers and non-government organizations.

It also passed on first reading an ordinance instituting stringent measures to safeguard the health of the people and protect the ecological soundness of tourist-drawing Bohol from possible disastrous ill-effects of GMO.

The ordinance, referred to as "The Safeguard against GMOs" penalizes a fine of P5,000 or one-year imprisonment or both for any violation.

This came after the Bohol Network for Farmers' Rights (BNFR) strongly lobbied for the move of proclaiming Bohol as liberated and protected from products enhanced by GMO.

The BNFR in a press release issued yesterday, hailed the move of the board as a "timely step" in protecting the Boholanos' interests.

In his sponsorship speech on the resolution, assistant floor leader Tomas D. Abapo Jr. cited the pastoral letter issued by Bishop Leopoldo S. tumulak and Christian Vincent Noel of the dioceses of Tagbilaran and Talibon, respectively.

Entitled "The World and Our Future, Our Responsibility," the pastoral letter said the effects of genetic engineering an our environment are "certainly not" the will of God.

The resolution and ordinance authored by Vice Gov. Juluis Caesar Herrera define GMO as an offshoot after a plant, animal or micro-organism has undergone genetic engineering.

It said genetic engineering "is a process of transferring genes from one organism to another, sometimes from one completely different species to another, producing a new transgenic product."

"It can also produce characteristics from bacteria, viruses and fish to certain crops, such as soybeans, corn, cotton and tomatoes," it added.

The resolution, however, noted that scientist are still debating on the GMOs' advantages.

Earlier the board passed three resolutions expressing support for various efforts of Congress in the conduct of probes on field-testing and labelling of genetically engineered food.
The ordinance prohibits the conduct of laboratory and field-testing or similar activity for propagation of experimentation relative to GMO of any plant, animal and micoorganisms in any part of the province without following certain conditions.

Recently farmers urged authorities to prevent the introduction of the controversial Bt corn to the province for fear that this might destroy the local corn variety known as tinigib.

In a dialogue with the agriculture committee last week, the farmers urged the board to ask Congress to halt the sale of Bt-corn in Bohol and for compulsory labelling of GMO laced products.

The BNFR claimed that the success of Bt corn trade here put the residents' health and the local environment at risk.

It expressed gratitude over the move of the board in banning the entry of GMO in Bohol and commended Marcela Feeds, owned by Marlito Uy, who has given assurance that the company will not make use of GMO-corn seeds.