MANILA - The Philippine government has approved guidelines to regulate imports of genetically modified plants and plant products by July 1 next year, the Department of Agriculture said yesterday. The department said Agriculture Secretary Leonardo Montemayor signed the administrative order governing the release of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) for field testing, propagation and for direct use as food or feed in the southern Cagayan de Oro City while attending a food congress in that area. The issuance of the guidelines was approved by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and the Cabinet this week. Under the administrative order, the government would prepare by June 30 next year a list of approved commodities that will be allowed entry into the country. After that date, any company importing a GMO not included in the list of the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) will be required to secure a permit, it said. During the transition period, BPI will ask an independent scientific panel to review the risks of importing GMO products to health and the environment. "No person shall be allowed to import or release into the environment any regulated article without a satisfactory risk assessment conducted in accordance with these rules and regulations," Montemayor said in a statement. Traders have expressed worries that more stringent rules on the import of GMOs would lead to higher prices of commodities for animal feed. The Philippines imports annually about one million tonnes of soybean meal, about 300,000 tonnes of soybeans and at least 200,000 tonnes of corn.:
