Plantings of genetically modified (GM) crops in the Philippines increased by 40 percent during 2005, according to the recent International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA) report on biotech crops. Randy Hautea, ISAAA's global coordinator, said, "This unprecedented high adoption rate reflects the trust and confidence of millions of farmers in crop biotechnology"

Currently, growers in the Philippines can choose from multiple commercial biotech crops such as corn, soybean, canola, potato, cotton and tomato that are approved for use as food, feed or processing materials. In the near future, researchers plan to add GM rice, delayed-ripening and ringspot virus-resistant papaya, Bt eggplant, and disease-resistant abaca, a fiber manufactured only in the Philippines and Ecuador.

Dr. Emil Javier president of the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) said that researchers are currently working on three types of GM rice -- insect-resistant, bacterial blight disease-resistant and vitamin-enriched or "golden" rice -- and plan on commercial production within five years.

GM papaya is ready for field tests and could be available commercially within three years, says ISAAA's Dr. Randy Hautea. The delayed-ripening trait will help extend the fruit's shelf life, while the ringspot-resistant variety will help protect against the disease that ravaged Hawaii's papaya crops in the late 1990's.

"We can't find any reason why some would not accept biotech crops. These crops underwent thorough research and testing. It's proven safe," said Dr. Javier. "We are not taking any shortcuts. The NAST is calling for responsible use of biotech crops."