DENR TRAINS GUNS ON 'BIOPIRATES'
MANILA, APRIL 3, 2006 (STAR) By Perseus Echeminada - Environment Secretary Angelo Reyes is seeking global action against "biopirates" who steal indigenous biological resources to be used as components in medicines and beauty products.In a message delivered during the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Curitiba, Brazil, Reyes sought to forge an agreement with other countries that would govern access to and sharing of indigenous biological resources.
"The Philippines, being one of the world’s most biologically diverse sites in the world, has a huge potential to provide raw materials for bioresource-based commercial products, such as medicines, perfumes, soap, and many more," he said.
Reyes said that for this reason, the Philippine government came up with laws and policies such as the Indigenous People’s Rights Act, which protects the rights of tribal communities over resources that are part of their land.
However, he said the government’s efforts to provide an environment for sharing these raw materials are hampered by law enforcement problems.
Reyes urged participants at the CBD convention to take the lead in dealing with biopiracy since the problem is also being discussed in other international arenas such as the World Trade Organization TRIPS Council and the Intergovernmental Committee of the World Intellectual Property Organization.
He also said the CBD must ensure that developments in these other fora do not run counter to the objectives of the convention, as well as set a deadline for the negotiations and appoint eminent figures as permanent co-chairs of these talks.
Reyes earlier announced that a multi-pronged campaign will be carried out in the Philippines to conserve the country’s biodiversity.
He said a task force from the Environmental Protection Commission will go after violators of forestry, environment, and wildlife laws. This task force will draw its members from the ranks of the military, police force and other law enforcement agencies.
The commission will carry out an intensified campaign against illegal loggers and wildlife traders, forging partnerships with the private sector and United Nations agencies to promote community-level projects, and enhanced civil society participation in the protection of the environment.
It is time to "put concepts into practice" nearly 13 years after the CBD was signed, he said.
Reyes said the Philippines is the most biodiverse country in the world, based on the number of species per unit area. The country’s 300,780 square kilometers of land is home to more than 1,139 species of mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and birds, as well as 10,000 species of plants. "Sadly, we are also known as one of the world’s hottest of hot spots in terms of biodiversity loss," he said.
Reyes vowed that he will use his long experience as a law enforcer to go after criminals ravaging the environment.
Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
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