Help sustain GMO-free Bohol

Earth Day is celebrated every April 22 to remind all to protect the environment, our planet, for all.

Thank you to all who remembered to honor our God-given, God-created earth yesterday, even just for a day!

To those who never fail, in word and in deed, to honor, protect, and preserve God’s creations in their daily journey in this planet, thank you and padayon!

To those who forgot about Earth Day yesterday, it’s still okay for you to touch the Earth with your care, from today!

We all know how far removed we are from God’s wonderful world, from God’s creations that he saw were good. Are God’s “trees of green, red roses too, skies of blue and clouds of white during bright blessed days and dark sacred nights” still around?

Kathy Sherman’s song reminds us we can still take care of God’s world if we “touch the earth with gentleness, with love, with a future by the way (we) live today (for) God has given us the power to create the world anew, if we touch the earth, together, me and you.”

It is heartening to see so many, all around the world, including those in our country, do their responsible share to protect and preserve God’s world and creations.

We are saddened, however, that there are still those who may need to be reminded that their proposal or action brings harm to our planet and people.

Last March 26, 2021, Bohol Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) received a resolution, with 50 signatories, from the Bohol Agri Entrepreneurs Cooperative of Sagbayan requesting Bohol SP officials to “amend and or repeal the existing ordinance prohibiting the entry and propagation of GMO corn in the province.”

Many are waiting whether the SP Committee on Agriculture will honor the proper protocol to conduct, with the Provincial Agriculture Officer present, a public hearing inviting those in favor of the resolution or not.

Many others (individuals, groups/organizations, including farmers) within and outside of Bohol, are now pro-actively calling for a unified stand to protect and preserve GMO-Free Bohol Provincial Ordinance No. 2003-010 (instituting stringent measures to safeguard the health of the Boholanos and protect the ecological soundness of the Province of Bohol from the possible disastrous ill-effects of genetically modified organisms, providing penalties for violations thereof, and for other purposes) approved during the leadership of Governor Erico Aumentado and Vice Governor Julius Herrera.

Calling on all to unite to also protect/retain the Revised Environment Code of Bohol and the Bohol Organic Agriculture Code institutionalized under the leadership of Governor Edgar Chatto and Vice Governor Conching Lim!

Calling on all who want prosperity and peace for Bohol and Boholanos, for people and planet, through partnerships, to write, call, organize and get the attention of and remind Bohol officials that GMO is not the sustainable way to grow healthy and more food for consumption, for livelihood, for Bohol, for the nation, for the world!

Communities for Alternative Food Ecosystems Initiative, Inc. wrote to Bohol officials that in the last six to nine months, their Grow-It-Yourself Feeding and Gardening Program (supported by LGUs, businesses/foundations, CSOs, and farmers’ groups) for the urban poor neighborhoods now has 650+ new organic backyard garden households proving that “safety and sustainability for residents, for farmlands” are possible without GMO!

Boholano Boni Quirog shared non-GMO agriculture options - Natural, Organic, Biodynamic, Permaculture, Agni Hotra, Bokashi, Vermi, Jadam, and other forms of chemical-free farming.

May Bohol Governor Yap and officials listen to non-GMO farmers/practitioners and scientists/researchers within and outside Bohol.

May all continue to protect Bohol’s people and environment especially Bohol’s pride as “a bailiwick, a haven and role model for safe, clean, healthy food for all, people and planet!”