Negros Occidental governor defers comment on GMO issue

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD CITY – Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said he will withhold comment on the issue of genetically modified organisms until the Sangguniang Panlalawigan acts on a proposed ordinance already forwarded to the provincial board.

“I will wait for the Sangguniang’s decision before I make a comment,” Lacson told reporters Thursday, adding that the board is expected to hold a public hearing.

He said the process will allow concerned sectors, particularly organic agriculture advocates, to present their positions.

“I encourage them to attend so they can be heard,” he said.

When asked about reports that San Miguel Corp. might be linked to possible GMO testing in the province, Lacson said the matter remains speculative.

“Even before an investor decides, they will have to look at the situation in Negros first. It is all speculative at the moment,” he said.

Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said the provincial government is set to review its GMO ordinance, prompting reactions from environmental groups.

Earlier this week, church leaders, civil society groups, scientists, and organic farming advocates signed a declaration opposing GMO testing in Negros Occidental, which has long been recognized as the “Organic Capital of the Philippines.”

Diaz described the reactions as “premature,” saying the review process will include a public hearing.

He explained that the proposed amendments are intended to allow commercial farming alongside organic farming.

The review, he said, seeks to give farmers the freedom to choose between commercial and organic methods, fostering what he described as a more diverse and resilient agricultural sector.

He emphasized that upcoming public hearings will provide a platform for stakeholders to present their views and concerns.

However, a broad coalition of multi-sectoral organizations argued in a joint declaration that GMO cultivation and testing threaten food sovereignty, public health, and ecological safety, and run counter to the principles of organic agriculture.

The signatories include Bishop Gerardo Alminaza of the Diocese of San Carlos, Caritas Bacolod, and various environmental and farming groups.

They stressed that GMOs are fundamentally incompatible with organic farming, warning that allowing them could undermine decades of organic development, risk contamination, erode consumer trust, and threaten biodiversity.

Negros Occidental has maintained a GMO-free status since 2007 under Provincial Ordinance No. 007, which bans the entry, importation, cultivation, and trade of genetically modified plants and animals.

Diaz said the proposed changes aim to allow commercial farming in addition to the province’s existing focus on organic farming.

He reiterated that the review seeks to give farmers the freedom to choose their preferred farming method while strengthening the agricultural sector.

He added that public hearings will give stakeholders an opportunity to voice their opinions and concerns.

Negros Occidental, recognized as the “Organic Agriculture Capital of the Philippines,” is set to host the 2027 Organic World Congress.