The Ecological Society of the Philippines (ESP) continues its campaign against genetically modified organisms (GMO) citing that if South Africa can do it so can we. We can take violators to the court, be they the Department of Agriculture and government itself of they violate the law, ESP president Antonio M. Claparols said.

GMOs are subject to the provisions of the Cartagena Biosafety Protocol. The EU and most of the world are against it. Our country is one of the ten countries planted with GMOs without the precautionary principle applied.

Our Agriculture and Environment agencies must look at this issue as it will destroy our agriculture and biodiversity as well.

ESP calls on the government to ratify the Biosafety Protocol and follow its recommendations.

Just recently the 3rd World Conservation Congress the IUCN-World Conservation Union adopted a resolution for a moratorium on further release of GMOs, Claparols said. 84 countries voted for it and 48 against the NGO house voted 89% for the resolution. This sends a clear signal to the world that GMOs are dangerous, let us heed that call and learn from it.

Environmental lobby group Biowatch obtained a Pretoria High Court order on Thursday compelling the government to divulge details of all genetically modified organisms (GMO) brought into or manufactured in the country, Claparols reported.

This includes a list of facts concerning each permit, approval and authorization granted for all GMO imports, exports, field trials and general releases to date.

It also includes a description of the GMO, its purpose, the name and address of the permit applicant, the area where the GMO would be used, plans for its monitoring and the relevant environmental impact studies.

Acting Judge Eric Dunn granted the order in a 60 page written judgment.

The application was contested by the registrar of genetic resources, the Executive council for Genetically Modified Organisms and the minister of agriculture.

Biotechnology company Monsanto South Africa, which was also cited as a respondent, has already volunteered to make information available to Biowatch.