Philippines: Agricultural Biotechnology Annual

The Philippines is a regional biotechnology leader and the first country in the world to approve Golden Rice for commercial propagation. The Bt Eggplant biosafety permit was signed on October 17, 2022, allowing commercial propagation. Planting of Golden Rice has started since its approval in 2021, while Bt corn acceptance has grown with more than 600,000 hectares planted in 2021. The Philippines recently passed a revised regulatory policy for importation, handling and use, transboundary movement, release into the environment, and management of genetically engineered (GE) plants and plant products derived from the use of modern biotechnology, and also regulation for plants and plant products derived from the use of plant breeding innovations (PBIs), also referred to as New Plant Breeding Techniques (NBTs). The draft policy and regulations on animal biotechnology is under review for the target release before the end of 2022 or early 2023.