Philippine Biotech Week Highlights Biotech Education for Students, Key Stakeholders

The Philippine Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) hosts this year's celebration of the National Biotechnology Week (NBW) which runs from November 24-28, 2014 at CHEd Main Office in Quezon City focusing on the theme "Edukasyon sa Bioteknolohiya: Pagyamanin para sa Kinabukasan Natin" (Fostering Education in Biotechnology for our Future). The event aims to bring public consciousness on the role of biotechnology in food production, food security, and hunger alleviation.

Various activities organized by government institutions and non-governmental organizations are being held all throughout the week. One of the highlights of the event is the launch of the Biotechnology Scholarship Program of the Philippine Department of Agriculture. ISAAA and SEARCA Biotechnology Information Center organized Biotech Shorties, a video-making contest that seek to convey the perspectives of Filipino film makers on the benefits of biotechnology through 3-minute films or "shorties". DA Biotech Program also conducted an infographics poster contest to present the advances in Philippine agri-biotechnology research.

High school and college students were enlightened on the different career paths available in the field of biotechnology such as science communication, medicine, and agricultural biotechnology during a Career Orientation on Biotechnology held on November 25. Consumers were also informed on biotech applications in medicine, the national biosafety regulatory framework, the food and environmental safety of biotech crops, and their co-existence with organic agriculture during a Biotech 101 seminar. Science teachers also took part in a study visit to biotech laboratories and facilities in Los Banos, Laguna. These activities were organized by the SEARCA BIC in partnership with the ISAAA, International Rice Research Institute, UP Diliman Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Foundation, Inc., UP Los Banos, DA Biotech Program, and Biotechnology Coalition of the Philippines.

For more details, contact knowledgecenter@isaaa.org.