Public warned vs 'biosafety clearance certificate'

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has warned the public against unscrupulous parties that issue a so-called “biosafety clearance certificate” for a fee supposedly on behalf of the Biosafety Clearing House (BCH) Pilipinas.

Dr. Reynaldo Ebora, BCH National Executing Agency focal point person, said the BCH does not issue such a certificate.

Ebora said the BCH Pilipinas is a project of the United Nations Environment Programme/Global Environment Facility that is being implemented by the National Committee on Biosafety of the Philippines and the Philippine Council for Advanced Science and Technology Research and Development (PCASTRD) of the DOST.

“It is not in any way concerned with certifying the safety of any biotechnology or biology-related enterprises or entities, products or services,” said Ebora, who is also the executive director of PCASTRD.

Ebora urged any entity holding such a biosafety clearance certificate to report to the DOST the source of the illegal document.