Page 22 - Hello Philippines December 2015 'B' ISSUE

20 www.hello-philippines.com NEWS December 2015 / Fortnightly – No. 24 • UK & Europe Edition

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MANILA - Voting unanimously
Tuesday, the Supreme Court en banc The ruling earned the praise of Golden Rice, a genetically engineered legal environmental remedy found worth of GM crops and products to the
expanded the Court of Appeals’ writ farmers, consumers, environmental variety developed at the IRRI. only in the Philippines. The court Philippines.
of kalikasan (environment) order that organization Greenpeace Southeast is also the first in the world to adopt
permanently stopped the field trials Asia, scientists’ group Magsasaka The rice strain was designed to the precautionary principle - that it “It is high time that the Philippine
of Bt talong, a genetically modified at Siyentipiko para sa Pag-unlad ng produce beta-carotene (pro-vitamin is best to err on the side of caution in government also looks at new,
eggplant engineered with a bacterium Agrikultura (Masipag), and other A) and address vitamin A deficiency, the absence of scientific consensus - innovative, and science-based
to deter pest insects. petitioners. They called the decision “a which may lead to blindness and regarding GMOs in their decision. ecological farming,” says Virginia
major victory for Filipino farmers.” thousands of deaths among children. Benosa-Llorin, Food and Ecological
Aside from affirming the halting The decision of the high court means Agriculture Campaigner Greenpeace
of Bt talong testing, the high tribunal ‘Concern’ over ruling’s impact on “It is the poorest and most that the Department of Agriculture Southeast Asia - Philippines.
stopped the use, testing, propagation, food security, micronutrient drive. On vulnerable groups, especially women and the Department of Science and
commercialization, and importation the other hand, the Los Banos-based and children, whose health and well- Technology are barred from issuing The Supreme Court affirmed the
of genetically modified organisms IRRI expressed “concern” over the being are most negatively affected any approvals for genetically modified May 2013 Court of Appeals order
(GMOs) after it nullified the decision. by the scourge of micronutrient (GM) crops pending the crafting and for the government to prepare an
Department of Agriculture’s regulating deficiency,” the IRRI noted. approval of a new administrative immediate plan of action to rehabilitate
GMO use. In a statement sent to BusinessWorld, order. field trial sites and protect, preserve,
the IRRI expressed reservations about Landmark decision. The Supreme and conserve the environment, and
It ordered the use of GMOs the ruling, concern it said was based Court decision sets a global precedent The court order would also have an recommend policies and measures to
“temporarily” stopped until the on “the best scientific knowledge and as it is the first legal decision on impact on the trading of GM crops. In reform the present regulatory process.
agriculture department promulgates evidence.” GMOs in the Philippines using the 2014, the US exported $784 million
new rules that will more sufficiently writ of kalikasan (environment) - a The petitioners to the case
comply with the country’s biosafety Yet, in response to BusinessWorld’s are: Greenpeace Southeast Asia
framework and international protocols. queries how it affects the development (Philippines), Magsasaka Siyentipiko
of better rice varieties at the institute, sa Pagpapaunlad ng Agrikultura
The temporary ban includes the the statement read: “We, of course, (Masipag), Rep. Teodoro Casino, Dr.
highly controversial Golden Rice, an remain committed to abiding by the Ben Malayang III, Dr. Angelina Galang,
experimental project by International laws and regulations of the Philippines Mr. Leonardo Avila III, Ms. Catherine
Rice Research Institute (IRRI) that is and of every country in which we do Untalan, Atty. Maria Paz Luna,
currently back at the laboratory stage collaborative research.” Mr. Juanito Modina, Mr. Dagohoy
due to poor performance. Magaway, Dr. Romeo Quijano, Dr.
As soon as the institute obtains Wency Kiat, Atty. H. Harry Roque
The high court in that decision the full copy of the decision, it said it Jr., Former Sen. Orlando Mercado,
cited the lack of scientific certainty in will read it carefully “to take stock of Mr. Noel Cabangon, Puerto Princesa
stopping GMO use, saying that it had to all implications” on biotechnological Mayor Edward Hagedorn, and Mr.
rule in the benefit of the environment research. Edwin Marthine Lopez. n InterAksyon.com
amid the lack of safety guarantees.
One of the products that may be / December 13, 2015 / 8:21 am
affected by the Tuesday ruling is

Malacañang insists it had no hand in Poe DQ cases

MALACAÑANG on Saturday the complainants against Poe. with the complainants. Toby Tiangco, who first questioned Poe’s the petitions filed by Tatad, Contreras
reiterated that the administration had Valte was also reacting to former “Hindi naman po kaalyado ng eligibility to run for president citing and former University of the East Law
nothing to do with the disqualification residency and citizenship issues. Dean Amado Valdez.
cases filed against Sen. Grace Poe senator Richard Gordon’s statement that administrasyon si Kit Tatad... The
before the Commission on Elections there seems to be a “pattern” of getting others, si Professor [Antonio[ Contreras Tiangco is a spokesperson of the The Second Division had earlier
(Comelec). rid of the presidential race opponents of from De La Salle University is a known United Nationalist Alliance, whose voted unanimously in favor of the
Liberal Party (LP) standard bearer Mar Aquino critic, ‘di ba? I think si… Wala standard bearer is Vice President Jejomar similar petition filed by Elamparo.
“Mayroon silang kanilang mga Roxas. ring relationship with… Atty. [Estrella] Binay.
dahilan at huwag po natin ikonekta Elamparo, I think, was formerly with Following the Second Division’s
pa sa administrasyon kasi medyo Gordon is included in the list of GSIS and then eventually left, ‘di ba? So Two Comelec divisions have ruled ruling, Poe alleged that the filing of
hard sell po ‘yung ganoon,” deputy senatorial candidates under the ticket of tingin ko malinaw naman e kung sino ni favor of four petitions to cancel the disqualification cases against her
presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte Poe and Sen. Francis Escudero. ‘yung mga taong ito,” she said. certificate of candidacy of Poe for the are part of the strategy of Roxas and
told state-run radio dzRB, referring to presidential elections in 2016. Binay camps. n ALG, GMA News / Published /
The Palace spokesperson said that Valte also mentioned Navotas Rep.
the LP has no political connections The First Division voted 2-1 in favor of December 12, 2015 / 1:22 pm

BSP: Foreign portfolio investments drive net outflows in November
MANILA - Transactions for (US$370 million), the Bangko Sentral billion in October (or by 34.1 percent) to holding firms; banks; property Registration of inward foreign

November 2015 resulted in overall net ng Pilipinas reported Thursday. as investors reacted to: companies; food, beverage and investments with the Bangko Sentral

outflows of US$69 million, in contrast Registered foreign portfolio Weak third-quarter corporate tobacco firms; and utilities companies) is voluntary under the liberalized rules

to the net inflows recorded last month investments for November 2015 earnings reports; and 21.5 percent in Peso GS; the rest on foreign exchange transactions.

(US$28 million) and a year ago declined to $1.1 billion from $1.6 Renewed concerns on the prospect of the investments were in other peso The issuance of a BSP registration

of interest rate hike in the US by debt instruments (OPDIs) (0.4%). document entitles the investor or his

December 2015; and Transactions in Peso GS and OPDIs representative to buy foreign exchange

Thin volume of transactions yielded net inflows of $16 million and from authorized agent banks and/

brought about by trading holidays. The $4 million, respectively, while those or their subsidiary/affiliate foreign

level is also lower by 39.4% compared for PSE-listed securities resulted in net exchange corporations for repatriation

to the $1.8 billion recorded a year ago. outflows of US$89 million. of capital and remittance of earnings

Total outflows for the month The United Kingdom, the United that accrue on the registered

amounted to $1.2 billion - lower States, Singapore, Luxembourg, and investment.

compared to $1.6 billion in October Belgium were the top five investor Without such registration, the

2015; and $1.4 billion for the same countries for the month, with their foreign investor can still repatriate

period last year (by 28.7% and 18.7%, combined investments accounting for capital and remit earnings on his

respectively). 82.8% of the total. investment, but the foreign exchange

About 78.1% of investments The United States continued to will have to be sourced outside the

registered in November were in PSE- be the main destination of outflows, banking system. n InterAksyon.com /

listed securities (mainly pertaining receiving 80.6% of the total. December 10, 2015 / 7:46 pm