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| Kenya National Biosafety Authority Board Delegates together with Program Biosafety Systems Team and Bureau of Plant Industry-Biotechnology Regulators at DA-BPI, Malate, Manila, Philippines |
Manila, Philippines – The Kenyan National Biosafety Authority (NBA) Board visited the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Plant Industry (DA-BPI) in Malate, Manila to learn the biotechnology regulations in the Philippines last 16 May 2011. The Kenya NBA delegates were composed by Dr. Miriam Kinyua (Chair, Kenya NBA Board), Dr. Moses Limo (Board Member), Mr. Otula Owuor (Board Member), Dr. Roy Mugiira (Acting CEO), and Ms. Cecilia Nzau (Secretariat and BCH Focal Person).
Dr. Henry T. Carpiso welcomed the Kenyan delegates, and provided brief information about the DA-BPI mandated roles in the biotechnology regulations in the Philippines. Ms. Merle Palacpac presented a topic on Philippine procedures for ensuring containment. Ms. Malou Agbagala discussed the Philippine procedures for assessing the suitability of the test sites. Mr. Santiago Palizada shared the experiences on the post commercial approval monitoring of Genetically Modified (GM) corn in the Philippines.
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| Kenyan National Biosafety Authority Board Delegates together with Mr. Carlos Guevarra (GM Corn Farmer), Santiago Palizada (BPI-BCT Member) and Pioneer Philippines. Inc. Team |
On the next day, the group visited the GM corn farm of Mr. Carlos Guevarra in Pampanga. Mr. Guevarra shared his experiences in planting GM corn since 2003. He started planting Bt corn to stacked trait corn of Pioneer Philippines, Inc. In the selected parcels of Mr. Guevarra’s 25 hectares of GM corn, he toured the group to the different corn growth stages (seedling, tasseling, physiological maturity), and provided insights about the GM corn management practices. At the end of the tour, Dr. Kinyua conveyed her warmest thanks to Mr. Guevarra in opening his farm to the group, and sharing valuable experiences in planting GM corn in the Philippines.
