Author: Rhea Sandique-Carlos
Publication: Dow Jones
Date: Tuesday, January 08, 2008

The Philippines has approved for another five years the commercial cultivation of a genetically-modified Bt corn developed by Monsanto Co., the Department of Agriculture said Monday.

"We already issued the approval," said Joel Rudinas, director of the Bureau of Plant Industry, an attached agency of the agriculture department.

The original approval expired in December last year.

Bt, or bacillus thuriengensis, corn is a genetically-modified seed variety resistant to the corn borer pest, which damages up to 80% of infested corn farmlands.

In 2007, around 200,000 hectares of land had been planted with Bt corn, up from around 130,000 hectares in 2006.