BACOLOD CITY - Top government scientists say that the Philippines now ranks No. 14 among mega-countries producing biotech products.

In an executive summary entitled" Global Status of commercialized Biotech/GM Crops 2004 published by the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA), countries that grow biotech crops on 50,000 hectares or more are classified as biotech mega-countries.

The Philippines, along with Paraguay, Spain and Mexico joined the mega-country group for the first time in 2004, reflecting 40 percent increase in the number of mega-countries that produced biotech crops.

Dr. Benigno Peczon, president and chief executive offices of the Biotechnology Coalition of the Philippines (BCP) has lauded the country's performance in producing agricultural biotech products.

Peczon noted that in spite of the early doubts placed on the viability and propriety of using biotechnology products, farmers eventually believed in scientific test and concluded that they would learn more by producing crops like Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) corn and Br cotton.

"By overcoming their worst fears, Filipino farmers eventually relied on the results of field tests, which showed that Bt corn had higher resistance to the Asiatic corn borer, the single best reason why the carcinogen aflatoxin saddles local corn varieties," Peczon said. "Farmers found out that Bt corn had higher yields, are more nutritious than the traditional; varieties thus ensuring them better incomes and larger markets."

Dr. Saturnina Halos, head of the Department of Agriculture-Biotechnology Advisory Unit (DA-BAT) said that the country's biosafety regulatory system which is being strictly enforced by the National Committee of Biosafety of the Philippines (NCBP) has greatly contributed to the success of biotech program in the country because of the very stringent processes it enforces as compared to its European and Asean counterparts.

She said the country's regulatory system has become a model regulatory system and is a big factor in attaining its level of accomplishment and international recognition.

Halos said that biotech producers are required to show data that their plants or products are safe to eat, safe to feed the animals, and harmless to environment.

"This is required to whoever would like to work with GM crops should come up with a scientific evidences that their products are safe," she said.

Halos also said that GM producers in the country are required to ensure that their plants will not adversely affect the population of the insect world.

Peczon and Halos said that they have been heartened by additional reports about religious leaders advocating the use of biotechnology products, thus paving the way for their utilization by farmers of various religious persuations.

The two scientists said that since 2003, when Bt corn was approved for field testing in South Cotabato, inquiries have risen about their availability and applicability to Philippine agricultural conditions and more and more farmers are now being won over to the side of biotechnology.

They added that the shift to agricultural biotechnological products is a great boost to the country's campaign to ensure long-term food security and a reduction of costly importations of food products that could be grown in the Philippines.