Bulatlat

BY ALEXANDER MARTIN REMOLLINO
Bulatlat
Posted 7:22 p.m., June 26, 2008

The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP or Peasant Movement of the Philippines) has criticized the Arroyo administration for signing an agricultural cooperation agreement with the U.S. that would entail, among other things, the further introduction of GMO (genetically-modified organism) crops into Philippine agriculture. Danilo Ramos, KMP secretary-general, described the agreement as one that would spell “a new type of typhoon” for Philippine farmers.

Signed on June 24 by Philippine Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap and U.S. Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer, the agreement has the purported objective of advancing agricultural cooperation, productivity and sustainable natural resource management through science and technology collaboration.

“The Philippines and the United States share broad economic ties and a profound commitment to democracy,” Schafer said. “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.”

But KMP said the agreement seeks to compel Philippine farmers to grow “dangerous” crops for the U.S. market.

“This is what the Arroyo government has been itching to do from way back, (to push us to grow) her Gloria hybrid rice that has been rejected by farmers, BT Corn that sickened children, soya and wheat, and other GMOs that the U.S. wants us to…produce for them,” said Ramos.

“All of these are to serve as cheap raw materials for the American market and to compel us to utilize their agro-chemical products that are harmful to the farmers’ health and…very costly, (putting) all of us in debt,” Ramos added.

In the statement it issued following the signing of the agreement, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) acknowledged that the Philippines is “a key marker” for U.S. agricultural exports. Sales reached $590 million in 2007, the highest ever according to the USDA. The USDA also said that the U.S. remains the top exporter of food and beverages to the Philippines.

At the same time, the USDA statement continued, the U.S. is the top market for Philippine agricultural products. Total sales for 2007 amounted to over $621 million, with products including coconut oil, vegetables, sugar, and tropical fruits, according to the USDA.

The Philippines is the first country in Asia to approve the production of hybrid corn. It is scheduled to commercialize genetically-engineered eggplant in 2009, and after that “virus-resistant papaya” and “nutritionally-enhanced rice.”

“Mrs. Arroyo’s agreement with the U.S. forms a new type of typhoon for the farmers as this would signal new waves and batteries of land-use conversions, displacements, diseases and death, indebtedness and miserable poverty,” Ramos said. Bulatlat