Author : Gomez, Baby

Summary : Indigenous groups from Mindanao, anxious to improve their quality of life through increased yields in both farms and aqua farms, recently committed to opening the door to biotechnology, initially through information exchange on its applications to agriculture, fisheries, medicine and health, and culture. In effect, they have even done the critics of biotechnology better, who have closed the door to it and magnified suspected risks, without benefit of rigorous scientific investigation. The covenant of cooperation and information exchange was signed at the Malagos Garden Resort in Davao City by Agriculture Undersecretary Segfredo Serrano and leaders of some 50 participants from six tribes - Aruman-Manobo, Agusan Manobo, Lianga-Manobo, Manobo, Higaonon Matigsalog and Matigsalog.