Proclamation No. 861




MALACAÑAN PALACE MANILA BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES [ PROCLAMATION NO. 861, June 16, 2005 ] DECLARING THE FIRST WEEK OF JULY 2005 AS "NATIONAL BIOTECHNOLOGY WEEK" WHEREAS, it is the policy of Government to promote safe and responsible use of modern biotechnology and its products as one of the several means to achieve and sustain food security, equitable access to health services, sustainable and safe environment, and industry development; WHEREAS, biotechnology sustains increased crop yields and farm productivity, and enhances the quality, value, and suitability of crops for food and other uses that are complementary to modern agriculture; WHEREAS, biotechnology is behind in many breakthroughs in human health care that have benefited millions of people through the development of vaccines, antibiotics, and other drugs that cannot be made in any other way; WHEREAS, biotechnology has delivered benefits to our environment including protection of water quality, conservation of topsoil, improvement of waste management techniques, reduction of chemical usage, production of renewable energy and biotechnology-based products, and other cleaner manufacturing processes; WHEREAS, there are already biotechnology-based industries in the country that would benefit from the weeklong advocacy campaign through recognition of their significant public contribution; WHEREAS, biotechnology has been helping in the speedy and fair administration of justice through forensic DNA analysis and similar DNA technologies; WHEREAS, biotechnology increases the pace of technology development for medical, agricultural, industrial and environmental applications; WHEREAS, public awareness, education and understanding of biotechnology is essential to the for the responsible application and regulation of this new technology; and, WHEREAS, biotechnology, this year 2005, is celebrating globally a decade of achievements in research and development and its commercial applications in agriculture toward a more healthy and safe use of the products of modern biotechnology. NOW, THEREFORE, I, GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law do hereby proclaim the first week of July 2005 as National Biotechnology Week. The Secretaries of the Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Department of Health (DoH) Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) shall compose a National Biotechnology Week Committee to be co-chaired by the Secretaries of the Department of Agriculture and Department of Science and Technology. The Committee shall formulate a program for the meaningful celebration of the National Biotechnology Week. They m ay call upon other government agencies and non-government organizations to assist in its implementation. IN WITNESS THEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the Republic of the Philippines to be affixed. Done, in the City of Manila, this 16th day of June, in the year of our Lord, Two Thousand and Five. (Sgd.) GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO By the President: (Sgd.) EDUARDO R. ERMITA Executive Secretary The Lawphil Project - Arellano Law Foundation