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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
SENATE BILL NO. 
V 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
In a letter dated 9 February 2007, Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal 
Rosales asked President Macapagal-Arroyo to recall from the market Uncle Sam 
Texas Long Grain Rice's products which are being distributed by Purefeeds Inc. 
This was an offshoot of the findings that these products were contaminated by 
genetically modified organisms (GMO) unapproved for human consumption. 
I strongly support the cause of Archbishop Rosales in opposing any 
experiment or attempt to use GMOs when several studies abroad have raised the 
problems of toxicity, allergy and environmental damage in relation to these. We 
should feed our people with food that are produced through natural means. 
There are no guarantees that GMOs are safe for our health and the 
environment. On the contrary," GMOs are believed to contain chemicals that are 
harmful to animal and human health and the balance of ecosystems. In fact, Japan 
and the European Union have already passed legislations to ban importation of 
products processed through GMOs. 
Genetic engineering is unquestionably an imprecise technology with 
unknown effects, good or bad. Genetic engineering can cause unexpected 
mutations in an organism, which can create new and higher levels of toxins in 
foods. The influence of a genetically engineered organism on the food chain may 
damage local ecology and the new organism may compete successfully with wild 
relatives, causing unforeseen changes in the environment. 
Moreover, by using GMOs, genetic engineers intend to profit by patenting 
genetically engineered seeds. This means that, when a farmer plants genetically 
engineered seeds, all the seeds have identical genetic structure. As a result, if a 
fungus, a virus, or a pest develops which can attack this particular crop, there 
could be widespread crop failure. 
Now as to the issue that GMOs will solve world hunger. Is the world - or 
the Philippines for that matter - truly hungry because of a lack of patented 
genetically modified crops? Starvation and malnutrition are very real problems, 
but they are caused not by food scarcity but by policies and programs that 
exacerbate the unequal distribution of wealth. In fact, biotechnology, by turning 
living crops into "intellectual property," increases corporate control over food 
resources and production. Even then, the consistent finding from independent 
research and on-farm surveys since 1999 is that GMO crops have failed to deliver 
the promised benefits of significantly increasing yields or reducing herbicide and 
pesticide use. 
Hence, with all the dangers posed by GMOs to our health and environment, 


it’s time we heed the call for clean harvesting and say no to ”Frankenstein” foods 
and crops. GMOs are not the solution but will only create the greater problem. For 
these reasons, and more, the passage of this Bill is u 
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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
S. B. N O . 2 8  
__ 
Introduced by Senator M. A. Madrigal 
AN ACT 
PROHIBITING THE IMPORTATION OF GMO PLANTS, FRUITS, 
FOOD AND PRODUCTS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives ofthe Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
Section 1. Title. - This Act shall be known as ”GMO BAN ACT OF 2007.” 
Section 2. Definition of Terms. - 
A. GMO - shall mean any biological entity that possesses a novel combination 
of genetic material obtained through the use of modern biotechnology. 
B. BIOTECHNOLOGY - shall mean (1) recombinant nucleic acid techniques 
involving the formation of new combinations of genetic material by the 
insertion of nucleic acid molecules produced by whatever means put inside 
an organism, into any virus, bacteria, plasmid or other vector system and 
their incorporation into a host organism in which they do not naturally 
occur but in which they are capable of continued propagation; (2) techniques 
involving the direct introduction into an organism of heritable material 
prepared outside the organism including micro-injection, macro-injection 
and micro-encapsulation; and (3) cell fusion, including protoplast fusion or 
hybridization techniques where live cells with new combinations of 
heritable genetic material are formed through the fusion of two or more cells 
by means of methods that do not occur naturally. 
C. PLANT - shall mean any living stage or form of any member of the plant 
kingdom and parts thereof, including seeds, rhizomes, bulbs and corms, 
grafts, leaves, roots, scions and others that may be used for propagation. 
D. FOOD - shall mean any substance taken from an organism which is 
intended as a source of nutrition and supplement of humans. 
E. PRODUCTS - shall mean any other substance taken from an organism 
which is not characterized as Food. 
F. NCBP - refers to the National Committee on Biosafety of the Philippines. 
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G. COMMERCIAL USE - shall mean GMO Plants, Food and Products of such 
quantity intended for sale and with the end view of making a profit. Five or 
more GMO Plants, Food and Products of the same kind shall be prima facie 
evidence that the same is for Commercial Use. 
H. PERSONAL USE - shall refer to GMO Plants, Food and Products for 
private use and purpose and not intended for sale. 
Section 3. Prohibited Act. - To ensure the health and safety of the Filipino people, 
importation into the country of GMO Plants, Food and Products shall be absolutely 
prohibited. 
Section 4. Penalty for Violation. - Any person found violating the provisions of 
this Act shall be penalized with 
A. A fine of not less than Fifty Thousand Pesos (F50,OOO.OO) but not more than 
(PlOO,OOO.OO) and/or imprisonment of not less than one (1) month but not 
more than six (6) months if the imported GMO Plant, Food or Product is for 
Personal Use, at the discretion of the court; and 
B. A fine of not less than Five Hundred Thousand Pesos (F500,OOO.OO) but not 
more than One Million Pesos (Fl,OOO,OOO.OO) 
and/or imprisonment of not 
less than one (1) year but not more than six (6) years if the imported GMO 
Plant, Food or Product is for Commercial Use, at the discretion of the court. 
If the offender is a juridical person, the penalty shall be imposed upon the 
owner, manager, partner, member of the board of director, and/or any responsible 
officer, who participated in the commission of the crime or shall have knowingly 
permitted or failed to prevent its commission. If the offender is a foreigner, he shall 
be immediately deported after the complete service of his sentence and shall 
forever be barred from entering the country. 
Section 5. Duty of the NCBP. - The NBCP shall, in consultation with various 
stakeholders, formulate the necessary implementing rules and regulation for the 
complete and proper implementation of this Act. 
Section. 6. Separability Clause. -If any part, section, or provision of this Act shall 
be held invalid or unconstitutional, the other provisions shall not be affected 
thereby. 
Section. 7. Repealing Clause. - All other acts, laws, executive orders, presidential 
issuances, rules and regulations or any part thereof which are inconsistent herewith 
are hereby deemed repealed or modified accordingly. 
Section 8. Effectivity. - The provisions of this Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
from its publication in the Oficial Gazette or in at least two (2) national newspapers 
of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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