Negros Occidental groups oppose GMO testing ordinance

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD CITY—Church leaders, civil society groups, scientists, and organic farming advocates signed a declaration this week opposing genetically modified organism (GMO) testing in Negros Occidental, the province long recognized as the “Organic Capital of the Philippines.”

In a press statement issued Wednesday, the group said the joint declaration comes as the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (Provincial Board) deliberates an ordinance that would allow the entry of GMOs into the province.

Signatories stressed that introducing GMO testing undermines decades of work that positioned Negros Occidental as a national leader in organic farming, food sovereignty, and ecological sustainability.

“Negros Occidental must remain GMO-free. Its destiny lies in being a model for ecological food systems, not a testing ground for technologies that threaten our land, our health, and our future,” the declaration stated.

Negros Occidental first declared itself GMO-free in 2007, a landmark decision that helped build its reputation as a hub for organic farming in the Philippines.

For nearly two decades, the province has promoted chemical-free production, farmer-led innovations, and sustainable food systems that benefit both producers and consumers.

The declaration emphasized that permitting GMO testing would directly contradict that identity.

“Once GMOs enter the environment, coexistence is impossible, and organic certification is jeopardized,” the statement read.

Advocates also raised concerns about how genetic modification could undermine local food security.

“GMOs compromise food sovereignty. Seed ownership shifts from farmers to multinational companies, eroding community control over food systems,” the declaration added.

The Sept. 1 signing gathered a wide coalition of leaders, among them Bishop Gerardo Alminaza of the Diocese of San Carlos and Fr. Julius Espinosa of Caritas Bacolod, alongside farmer groups, indigenous communities, and environmental advocates.

Civil society organizations such as the Nisard Foundation, IFOAM Asia, KAISAHAN, MASIPAG, and grassroots associations from across Negros Occidental also signed on.

Bishop Alminaza underscored the moral and spiritual dimensions of the issue.

“We are stewards, not owners, of this land. To test GMOs in Negros Occidental is to sow seeds of greed where God calls us to sow seeds of life,” he said.

“A single GMO test plot can undo years of farmer-led progress. Once contamination begins, there is no turning back. That is why Negros Occidental stands firm: no GMOs, no exceptions—because our sovereignty, biodiversity, and public health are not for negotiation.”

Edgardo S. Uychiat, IFOAM World Board member and president of the Negros Island Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development Foundation Inc. (NISARD), emphasized that the province’s organic success story is incompatible with genetic modification.

“Organic farming cannot co-exist with GMO crops,” Uychiat said.

“Let us protect our children and future generations from the hazards of pesticides and industrial agriculture.”

Groups such as IFOAM – Organics International have long asserted that GMOs are “fundamentally incompatible with organic agriculture” and represent “unacceptable risks to ecological systems, farmers’ rights, and consumer trust.”

Negros Occidental’s resistance to GMO entry mirrors growing caution in other parts of the world, where restrictions on GMO cultivation exist due to environmental and health concerns.

By defending its organic heritage, advocates said, Negros strengthens its place within an international community of regions committed to sustainable and just food systems.

The declaration called on the provincial government, local municipalities, national agencies, and academic institutions to uphold the GMO-free policy without exemptions.

It also urged greater investment in organic farming, agroecology, and farmer-led research that offer tested solutions to hunger, poverty, and climate change.

“GMOs have no place in organic agriculture, nor in the future of Negros Occidental,” the declaration concluded.

For signatories, keeping the province GMO-free is both a safeguard and an opportunity, ensuring that Negros can remain a beacon of organic farming for the Philippines and a trusted source of safe, sustainable food for generations to come.