The Golden Rice research is fueled by the passion to help millions of children and pregnant and nursing mothers who are suffering from vitamin A deficiency (VAD), a very pervasive and persistent public health problem in the country. The 2013 Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) survey reported that there are 2.1 million vitamin A deficient children (ages 6 months to 5 years old) in the Philippines. This figure is […]

Products of modern biotechnology all went through rigorous research and assessment to ensure they are safe before they reach the consumers. In March 2016, the Joint Department Circular No.1 series of 2016 titled Rules and Regulations for the Research and Development, Handling and Use, Transboundary Movement, Release into the Environment, and Management of Genetically-Modified Plant and Plant Products Derived from the Use of Modern Biotechnology was issued. This regulation governs […]

In a country where nutritious fruits and vegetables are abundant, you may think that health could never go wrong. Contrary to this belief, malnutrition has taken its roots in this land, where agriculture is the bread and butter. Micronutrient deficiency or hidden hunger is among these. This form of malnutrition is asymptomatic －you will not know that you have it until it manifests through other forms of diseases or ailments […]

Mardy Halcon-Cristobal June 23, 2016                         “The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is.”- Sir Winston Churchill On the subject of genetically engineered foods, this rings true. After years of debate, the prestigious National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine has released its verdict: there is no substantiated […]

Global adoption of biotech crops is skyrocketing. From 1.7 M ha in 1996, production area has increased to 181.5 M ha in 2014—more than a hundred fold increase, thus making biotech one of the fastest adopted crop technologies worldwide. In the Philippines, adoption of biotech crops has also been increasing. From less than 50,000 ha in 2003, GM corn area has reached 800,000 ha in 2014, ranking the Philippines 12th […]

by ASec. Edilberto De Luna, DA National Rice and Corn Program coordinator I support the Golden Rice project and I want the research to continue. I believe that knowledge based on science is important to make sound decisions or we will succumb to fears of the unknown. It is understandable that some sectors of society are against or apprehensive about Golden Rice. But I am saddened to see that such opposition […]

Recently, the world turned its attention on food, hunger, and malnutrition. The Global Hunger Index 2013, released last week by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), shows that global hunger in developing countries has fallen by 39% since 1990. Of the 842 million hungry people in the world, 553 million live in Asia and the Pacific. In the Philippines and other countries, the level of hunger remains serious, despite […]