Science-based policy drives Philippines’ push for biotech crops

From March 2-6/2026, CropLife Asia, CropLife Philippines, and International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA) co-organized the 18th Pan-Asia Farmers Exchange Program.

The event served as a platform for sharing knowledge and experience in agricultural biotechnology, bringing together scientists, regulators, industry representatives, and farmers from the Philippines, Taiwan, Singapore, China, India, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Pakistan.

534 GM events approved worldwide

Presenting a global overview of biotech crops, Dr. Rhodora R. Aldemita, Executive Director of ISAAA, noted that between 1992 and 2024, 534 genetically modified (GM) events have been approved worldwide. Of these, maize accounts for 209 approved events, featuring common desirable traits such as herbicide tolerance, insect resistance, and pollination control systems. 

In the Asia-Pacific region, nine countries cultivate approximately 20 million hectares of 19 GM crop varieties, with China, Australia, and Pakistan recording the largest planting areas.

She emphasized that gene-editing (GE) technology enables more precise breeding, producing outcomes similar to conventional breeding but achieved more rapidly and accurately, helping address the food needs of a growing global population by 2050.

Since 1996, biotech crops have improved the livelihoods of around 17 million farmers globally, equivalent to about 65 million people when including family members. "On average, every additional $1 invested in GM seeds generates $4 in additional income for farmers," the ISAAA representative said.

Environmentally, the Environmental Impact Quotient (EIQ) improved by 17.3% between 1996 and 2020. GM maize reduced environmental impact by 30%, while herbicide-tolerant soybean reduced it by 26%. The adoption of reduced tillage practices has further enhanced carbon sequestration by retaining crop residues, stabilizing soil temperature, conserving moisture, and increasing soil organic carbon content.

"These figures demonstrate that biotechnology continues to shape global agricultural development trends, alongside the need for strict and transparent regulatory oversight to ensure biosafety and public trust," the ISAAA representative affirmed.

Philippines expands GM drought-tolerant research

The Philippines is among the pioneers in Southeast Asia and Asia in regulating GM crop cultivation, establishing a science-based risk assessment framework coordinated by multiple government agencies.

Here, the Department of Agriculture (DA), the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Department of Health, the Department of Science and Technology, and the Department of the Interior and Local Government form a regulatory network overseeing activities from research and field trials to the commercialization of GM products.

The country’s biosafety system began taking shape in the late 1980s, with the establishment of the National Committee on Biosafety of the Philippines in 1990 to oversee genetic engineering research. In 2006, the government introduced the National Biosafety Framework (NBF), strengthening oversight of modern biotechnology products.

According to Ms. Sheeb Kaiserin Exconde, Officer-in-Charge of the Biotechnology Office under the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), Department of Agriculture, "this regulatory framework has been in operation for more than three decades, with strict risk assessment and monitoring mechanisms governing trials and real-world applications."

The Philippines has ratified the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety since 2006, underscoring its commitment to international standards in regulating GM organisms.

The biosafety approval process consists of three distinct stages: contained use, field trial, commercial propagation, and direct distribution. The prescribed processing time for biosafety applications is 40 working days. Field trial permits are valid for two years, while commercialization permits have no expiration date and do not require renewal unless revoked in accordance with regulations.

The country is the first in Asia to approve the commercial planting of GM maize in 2002. Other GM products, including golden rice (vitamin A-enriched rice), Bt eggplant, and cotton, have also been researched and commercially approved.

However, the high-profile GM product Golden Rice, often regarded as 'victory for science, agriculture and all Filipinos' by the Congress, is currently facing significant legal challenges due to concerns over the scientific evidence's sufficiency on environmental and potentially unsafe for health. 

Nevertheless, the Philippine biosafety regulatory system recognizes and continues to review additional GM crop applications, particularly drought-tolerant varieties, as part of efforts to address climate change impacts and strengthen food security, according to Sheeb.