• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
As the five-day Terra Madre Asia and Pacific (TMAP) 2025 will kick off from November 19 to 23 at the Provincial Capitol Lagoon in Bacolod City, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) of Negros Occidental has temporarily set aside discussions on the proposed GMO Regulatory Ordinance, which faces vehement opposition from organic farming advocates.
Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson disclosed that the SP will focus on the budget deliberations of various Capitol departments until the end of November this year.
According to TMAP organizers, more than 2,000 delegates from more than 20 countries across Asia and Pacific will converge at the Provincial Capitol Lagoon for the five-day event.
Terra Madre is a Slow Food premier global event, which promotes organic farming and related activities.
Negros Occidental Board Member Andrew Montelibano, chairperson of the SP committee on Agriculture, earlier said that he will schedule another conference on the proposed ordinance that would regulate GMOs in the province.
It is part of an effort to gather sentiments from both proponents and opponents of the ordinance, which aims to allow GMOs while maintaining clear separation from organic farms.
The Negros Occidental provincial government has affirmed support for the proposed regulatory ordinance, which is intended to harmonize the province’s existing GMO policy with the Joint Department Circular (JDC) No. 1, released in 2021.
During the conference, Montelibano said his committee will listen to all sides and refrain from making any comments.
For me, our decision will be depending on the many, not on the few, he stressed.*
