Dr. Reynaldo Ebora, national focal point of the Biosafety Clearing House (BCH), announced the launching of the country's BCH on April 21, 2008 at the Conference Hall of the Bureau of Soils and Water Management, Quezon City.

"The setting up of national BCH is part of the Philippine obligation as party to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (CPB)", says Ebora who is also the executive director of the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Advanced Science and Technology Research and Development. The BCH is envisioned to facilitate the exchange of scientific, technical and environmental and legal information on, and experience with living modified organisms. The national BCH, referred to as BCH Pilipinas, is an inter-agency collaboration among the Departments of Science and Technology, Environment and Natural Resources, Health, and the National Committee on Biosafety of the Philippines.

The development of the BCH is among the activities participating countries of a project by the United Nations Environment Programme-Global Environment Facility (UNEP-GEF) on Effective Participation on the Biosafety Clearing House of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety.

A consultation on the National Report on the status of the implementation of biosafety protocol will follow after the BCH launching.

The Philippines became a party to the CPB on January 3, 2007.

For more information, please contact:

Ms. Sonny P. Tababa
Network Administrator
Biotechnology Information Center
SEAMEO SEARCA
College, Laguna 4031
Email: spt at agri.searca.org
Tel: (63-49)536-7163
Tele/Fax: (63-49)536-7162
URL: www.bic.searca.org