Around 300 delegates coming from various farmers' organizations, religious groups, civil society organizations, members of the academe, students and Local Government officials participated in the International Conference on Genetic Engineering held at the Central Mindanao University (CMU), Musuan, Bukidnon last Decemeber 15 and Xavier University - Ateneo de Cagayan, Cagayan de Oro city last December 16, 2005.

The conference sponsored by MASIPAG, Third World Network, Central Mindanao University and Xavier University aimed to increase the awareness and understanding of the participants regarding genetic engineering.

International experts like Dr. Mae Wan Ho, Director and co-founder of the Institute of Science in Society (ISIS), based in the United Kingdom, and Dr. Peter Saunders an acclaimed expert on the precautionary principle, also from ISIS helped shed light on the issues on genetic engineering. Representatives from the government promoting Genetically Modified Organisms or GMOs were also invited to present their side.

Ms. Virgilia Rendon from the Department of Agriculture - Region X and Dr. Ma. Estella Detalla from the Department of Agronomy in CMU talked about the benefits of genetic engineering and how GMOs would feed the growing population of the Philippines and increase the income of the Filipino farmers. They have also enumerated the different crops under research. Aside from GM corn, the government would soon release GM cotton, papaya, soybean, mungbean, potato, tomato, banana, mango, canola, sugarbeet, eggplant, abaca and rice. These GMO products would soon be commercialized in the coming years.

"Claims made by proponents about genetic engineering (GE) are all proven false," said Dr. Mae Wan Ho. "GE crops have lower yields, perform poorly in the field, use more pesticides, and result in reduced profits for farmers". She also pointed out that GE crops express variable levels of toxins, often insufficient to kill target pests; but harm beneficial insects. "And what's most alarming is that these toxins are already known to be actual or potential allergens for human beings". She explained that we should not believe the claims of the transnational companies and other promoters of GMOs, but rather strengthen and continue the agricultural practices like what MASIPAG is doing which is the sustainable and humane way.

On the other hand, Dr. Saunders talked about precautionary principle. "We should not use a new technology or persist with an old one, unless we are convinced it is safe," said Dr. Saunders, co-founder of ISIS and Emeritus Professor of Applied Mathematics at King's College, London. "We should not wait until it has been proved to be dangerous to health or the environment because by that time the damage may have been done."

Meanwhile Fr. Oliver McCrosan, spiritual adviser of MASIPAG joined these experts and talked about the moral and ethical aspects of genetic engineering. "We were tasked by the Lord to be the stewards of His creation, and yet we are abusing this responsibility in the name of profit." He further said that the transnational companies are campaigning these GMOs since they are the one, which will gain the most profit since they own the seeds.

To share the actual experience on GMOs, Pablo Senon, a farmer-leader from Polomolok, South Cotabato recounted their experience with Monsanto's Bt-corn when he and 50 other residents of Sityo Kalyong fell ill simultaneously during the flowering of the nearby Bt-corn plantation. "Until now, we are suffering from various illnesses and 4 people have died from our community. What's so disappointing and alarming is that our government is not taking action to help us." He is hoping that it would not be too late before the government take notice and act before they all end up being dead.

Finally, Mr. Federico Gil, chairman of MASIPAG and at the same time Brgy captain of Tawan-tawan, M'lang in North Cotabato shared their successful and continuing campaign against GMOs. He believed that with the cooperation of all the farmers, civil organizations, academe, church, and local government sectors, we will be able to live in a GM free nation, and therefore a sustainable one.