BIG BROTHER....small brother!

Here comes the news; dit..didit..dit..dit..didit!

WASHINGTON D.C., U.S. — U.S. Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer signed a memorandum of agreement with Philippine Agriculture Secretary Arthur C. Yap on June 24 to promote agricultural trade and investment between the countries. The Philippines remain on schedule to commercialize genetically engineered eggplant in 2009, and genetically engineered papaya and rice soon thereafter, the USDA said.

"The Philippines and the United States share broad economic ties and a profound commitment to democracy," said Schafer. "We are further strengthening our agricultural and strategic partnership through increased cooperation that standardizes food safety regulations, rural development, biotechnology, and product distribution and marketing. We are very pleased to recognize the friendship that continues to grow between our two countries."

I seldom speak about the US and the RP's friendship. Coincidentally, it's the 4th of July today and it's the Independence Day for the Americans while the Philippines is celebrating the Fil-American Friendship Day. It's perhaps the Philippines way of telling that "Hey, I am your small brother. See, I am also celebrating in my own way, whatever occasions you have!"

Above mentioned aggreement will be another sign of how the US looks upon us Filipinos. While a number of countries were against the introduction or importation of genetic technology, our leaders welcome these development with open arms. While the Philippines has also been into genetics for a long time ago, this generation of genetic engineering is quite "unstable". In the 70's, rice production has been enhanced by the introduction of genetically modified, high yielding variety of rice crop. With upgraded and farmed-out production technologies, the Philippines became self -sufficient of the staple and even exported its excess to nearby countries. With shorter growing and maturity period, farmers was able to plant rice for at least twice in a year. However, more cropping means an increase in the demand for more fertilizer, pesticides and farm inputs. Smaller acreage with frequent cropping means a burden on the soil and changes in the diversity. To this date, this same areas that undergoes frequent cropping patterns now suffers. However farmers put more inputs to the soil, it can not produce what was being expected.
Todays' genetic engineering was far more advance than the usual "tissue culture system". What environmentalists were afraid of would be the unexpected effect of GMO's ingested as food by humans. "Mutation" is a possibility or any uncontrolled behaviour.
The US has the technology for GMO's which they unlikely to be tested for human consumption. They have GM yellow corn which were only either for ethanol production or for export.
With the agreement in between Big Brother US and Small Brown Brother Philippines, the Big Brother would like to test his GM to his Small Brown Brother. A guinea pig of sort. In anyway, they wish to see the results of their "might be" test away from their shores. Very nice...