The Philippine Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Plant Industry (DA-BPI) has given the go-signal for the conduct of public consultations on the proposed field trials for GR2E Golden Rice.
The public consultation process is a significant component of biosafety regulatory approval under the Joint Department Circular No. 1 series of 2016. The consultation process is comprised of Public Information Sheet postings in accessible community locations, a 30-day public comment period, and the public hearing. This provides community members with the opportunity to participate responsibly in a critical biosafety decision-making process.
The public consultation is set on 18 July 2018 in Muñoz, Nueva Ecija and on 20 July 2018 in San Mateo, Isabela.
Together with PhilRice, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) is developing high-yielding inbred local rice varieties with the beta-carotene producing GR2E Golden Rice trait.
A complementary, food-based solution to vitamin A deficiency, Golden Rice is currently undergoing the regulatory process in Bangladesh. Earlier this year, GR2E Golden Rice received positive food and safety assessments from three leading regulatory agencies: Food Standards Australia New Zealand, Health Canada, and the United States Food and Drug Administration.
(Update as of 16 July 2018: Following Executive Order No. 17 Series of 2018 of the Office of the Governor of the Isabela, declaring 20 July 2018 as a non-working holiday, the San Mateo public hearing has been moved to 19 July 2018)