The Philippines has notified the World Trade Organization (WTO) of its updated rules and regulations on biotechnology, which is expected to streamline the approval process of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) that are beneficial to the public.
The revised rules were hailed by the United States Foreign Agricultural Service in Manila (USDA-FAS) as it would help “foster agricultural innovation” that would help the country achieve zero hunger.
The Philippines made the notification of the revised Joint Department Circular (JDC) 01, Series of 2021 to the WTO last March 10. The document will take effect 15 days after its publication last March 8.
The revised JDC, which superseded the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Health (DOH), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) JDC No. 1, Series of 2016, was approved last February 15.
“The reforms are expected to shorten the timeline for approvals significantly and greatly reduce compliance costs for commercializing genetically engineered crops,” the USDA-FAS in Manila said in its Global Agricultural Information Network (Gain) report.
“Passage of the revised JDC again highlights Philippine leadership in biotechnology, following its approval of Golden Rice for commercial propagation in 2021,” it added.
The USDA-FAS in Manila said the “science-based policy will foster agricultural innovation” to help the Philippines address Sustainable Development Goals of zero hunger (SDG 2) and climate action (SDG 13).
In January, the BusinessMirror broke the story that the Philippines would implement this year its revised biotechnology procedures that seek to streamline bureaucratic processes and fast-track the approval of food technologies beneficial to the public.
Under the revised JDC, a Joint Assessment Group (JAG) has been formed to evaluate biosafety permit applications and make recommendations on the approval of a biosafety permit application, according to the Philippines’s notification to the WTO.
The JAG will be composed of “qualified representatives” from the concerned biosafety DA, DOST, DOH and DENR. The JAG will be chaired by the DA biosafety committee head and would also include external technical experts.
The JDC has also shortened the application procedure to 40 working days from 85 working days in compliance with the Ease of Doing Business (EODB) law.
“The new JDC provides that application for permits for regulated articles developed in other countries may be filed directly for a Biosafety Permit for Field Trial if BPI determines data set generated in other countries is applicable to the local setting,” the notification read.
“The JDC also only requires an applicant to publish a copy of the approved Public Information Sheet (PIS) in one newspaper of general circulation and in the official website of the applicant and of the Bureau of Plant Industry,” it added.
Under the revised rules, biosafety approvals for direct use and commercial propagation will no longer need renewals every after five years biosafety permits will remain valid unless revoked.
“The JDC includes a provision stating plants produced through conventional breeding of approved genetically modified parental lines and their derived products are not considered novel. Payment of fees is possible to cover the cost of re-evaluation of the decision made on applications,” the Philippines said. (Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas)
SOURCE: https://businessmirror.com.ph/
