Bigas na bawal ibenta sa ibang bansa nakapasok daw sa Pilipinas

MANILA – Nagbabala ang isang environmental group na dalawang uri ng GMO-contaminated rice varieties na galing sa United States na ipinagbabawal ibenta sa ibang bansa ang nakapasok sa umano sa Pilipinas. Sa isinagawang pagsusuri umano ng Greenpeace, nagpositibo sa GMOs (genetically modified organisms) ang dalawang klase ng bigas mula sa US na Blue Ribbon Texas Long Grain at Riceland Arkansas Long Grain na ibinebenta umano sa S&R Supermarkets. Sa pahayag, sinabi ng Greenpeace na ang “GMO rice threaten biodiversity, food security, farmers’ livelihoods, and consumer health." Kabilang umano ang bigas ng Texas at Arkansas sa mga uri ng bigas na tinukoy ng US Department of Agriculture (USDA) noong 2006 na positibo sa experimental GMO rice strain LL601 na gawa ng Bayer. "The said rice strain was an experimental variety whose research was abandoned in 2001 and which was never commercialized for undisclosed reasons," ayon sa Greenpeace. Bukod sa Pilipinas, may 30 pang bansa ang natuklasang nag-angkat ng ipinagbabawal na bigas mula sa US. Kabilang din ang mga bansa sa European Union, Russia, at Japan. Samantala, ang Blue Ribbon rice ay positibo umano sa LL601 contamination, ngunit ang eksaktong GMO strain sa Riceland ay hindi pa natutukoy. Nakapuslit umano sa bansa ang mga uri ng bigas sa kabila ng garantiya ng Department of Agriculture (DA) ng Pilipinas. “Last February, Greenpeace exposed how a 44,000 metric ton shipment of US long grain rice is also a GMO risk. We challenged the DA, through the National Food Authority (NFA), to conduct further and more stringent tests on the rice to ensure its safety. The NFA should have had ample time to run stringent tests on the rice before it was distributed," ayon sa pahayag. Nangangamba ang Greenpeace sa magiging epekto sa kalusugan ng mga taong makakabili at kakain ng mga bigas na pinapaniwalaang positibo sa GMO. “This is the second time Greenpeace has discovered illegal GMO rice in the country. And, as usual, the DA was unable to detect its entry into our rice supply. Clearly, the government is completely useless in enforcing its own GMO regulations, instituted to protect the welfare of consumers and the environment. Moreover, the lax attitude toward these unsafe, experimental crops betrays the DA’s pro-GMO bias, which, unless rectified, would ultimately endanger Filipino consumers and farmers," ayon kay Greenpeace Southeast Asia Genetic Engineering Campaigner Daniel Ocampo. Kasalukuyang ibinebenta ng National Food Authority ang mga bigas mula sa US sa halagang P25 bawat kilo. “Greenpeace is unrelenting in our demand that the country’s rice supply be protected from unsafe and unproven GMO technologies. The ongoing rice crisis should not be used as an excuse to neglect our existing regulations governing GMOs, especially since there are other sources of GMO-free rice," said Ocampo. - GMANews.TV