Kawawa naman ang Pilipinas kulelat na nga , Na Bio-piracy pa ng ibang bansa... Have you heard of stories about foreigners collecting Philippine flora and fauna including marine life and being shipped out to other countries? Or of stories about seedlings of Philippine plants being transported to other countries and planted there? Or of some Philippine biomaterials that are being patented in other countries? These stories are not fiction. They are not figments of our imagination. They are reality. They have been happening in the past. They continue to happen today. The saddening part of this scenario is that many of us are not aware of this situation. Many are aware, but they cannot grasp the adverse impact on our economy, on our patrimony/resources and on our heritage. Bio-pirates - this is the common term used to describe those who take a free ride on the resources of least developed countries and developing countries. The third world countries, so-called. Others call it the raping of the biological diversity of a nation. According to Article 2 of the Convention on Biological Diversity, biological diversity means the variability among living organisms from all sources, including terrestrial, marine, and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are a part; this includes diversity within species, between species and ecosystems. Biological diversity includes the millions of plants, animals and other living organisms. There are researches conducted in developed countries to search for biomaterials in the third world to advance agricultural, industrial, pharmacological and medicinal technologies. The third world countries are rich in biomaterials. No wonder foreign researchers go to third world countries like the Philippines and Africa for bioprospecting. Since the foreigners are not knowledgeable in the local language, culture, customs and the target places to explore - they usually recruit locals to be their partners in their projects. The locals are usually NGOs. And in not a few cases, government agencies partner with the foreign institutions in exchange for compensations, grants, subsidies, training programs and other financial incentives. Unfortunately, without the locals realizing it, the financial concessions offered to them in exchange for their assistance is peanuts compared to the immense loss to our economy and our resources. This is the reason why government bureaus and agencies should be very cautious in entering into agreements or arrangements with foreign institutions (especially those in the business of giving foreign grants) who entice the local government bureaus with subsidies in exchange for the shipment of local biomaterials from our country. Supposedly for research specimens. Like foreign institutions that request our government agencies to provide them with samples of indigenous plant materials that our local herbal and organic industries are using as raw material components for their manufactured products being marketed here and abroad. In other words, we will be competing abroad with foreign-made products using as raw components biomaterials from our very own country which we provided them. How ironic indeed! Considering too the advanced technologies that the countries of the biopirates have developed. We are knocked out even before we know what hit us. Going back to the partnership with foreign bio-pirates... The local NGOs actually end up doing the bulk of the work including the collection and preparation of biological specimens. It is one-sided arrangement, so to speak. In other words, the bioprospecting agreement should be well-drafted to protect the interest of the country and the locals as well. In terms of the benefit-sharing mechanisms. This controversy on biopiracy has spread to other countries as well. Not only in our country. Countries like Thailand, Indonesia, India, and African countries have problems too. Or to use a stronger word - exploited too and victimized. Let me share with you the tragic story of our ilang-ilang. More than a century ago, before 1900, our country practically dominated the world supply of ilang ilang oil. A kind of oil that is used in the manufacture of perfumes, and other products as well. Ilang ilang trees used to abound in Manila and surrounding areas. Decades ago our ilang ilang oil was traded in the international market. And famous as one of the finest essential oils in the world because of its seductive scent. But did you know that some German traders came to the Philippines in the eighteenth century to gather planting materials of the ilang ilang which they planted in the Reunion Island in Madagascar. Since then the essential oils derived from ilang ilang became a major essence of the perfumeries in Europe. They may now have called ilang ilang by other names but the origin of the plant came from the Philippines. A more detailed of how ilang ilang was transported out of the country could be found in the famous treatese written by Blair and Robertson. The message I am trying to convey here is the urgent need to create more awareness about biopiracy. Be joyful and kind always! *** Note: My articles under this column will NOT be appearing during the period covering from March 28, 2013 to May 14, 2013. This is to comply with the provisions of Republic Act No. 9006 dated February 12, 2001, otherwise known as the Fair Election Act. I am running for a congressional seat in the 3rd District of Camarines Sur. My articles will be resumed immediately after the election ban.
Posted on: Mon, 24 Mar 2014 11:19:44 +0000