Background Information on the
Third Asian Biotechnology Conference
A. Rationale

The expansion of the biotechnology industry in the Asian region during the last decade has raised many possibilities that have taken the interest not just of governments, but also of almost every sector of society. With these many opportunities, the need for a venue to discuss various aspects of biotechnology, as an engine of economic growth and development has never been felt more. However, national development plans involving modern biotechnology must be discussed and harmonized among economies if the region is to harvest the benefits of this novel technology without being dissipated by duplication of efforts and unnecessary competition with one another, given the limited resources within the region. In other words, there is need for cooperation.

Aware of this need, the Research and Information System for the Non-Aligned and Other Developing Countries (RIS) of India decided to organize the Asian Conference on Biotechnology and Development. RIS is an autonomous research institution established with financial support from the government of India and functions as a think tank on issues pertaining to international economic relations and development. The conference sought to bring together representatives of different stakeholders such as the various departments of governments, academe, environmental conservation groups, scientists, businesses, consumers and other interest groups, in order to review and discuss the issues surrounding biotechnology and identify how this technology can be used to spur development and growth of countries within the Asian region. Two conferences have been so far organized, both of which were held in India.

• The First Asian Conference on Biotechnology and Development

The First Asian Biotech Conference was held from February 26 to 27, 2002 at New Delhi, India. There was a total of 120 participants with speakers from India, the Philippines, Bangladesh, Brussels, Malaysia, Thailand, China, Singapore, Japan, Korea and Sri Lanka. Among the speakers at the conference were Dr. Manju Sharma, Secretary of the Department of Biotechnology of India and Dr. William Padolina of the International Rice Research Institute. The issues discussed at the conference were:

1. The potentials and challenges from biotechnology
2. Experiences of countries in agricultural biotechnology
3. Biotechnology for pharmaceuticals and health
4. Trade, intellectual property rights and regulatory issues
5. Financing of biotechnology initiatives
6. Convergence of technologies and its implication for economic development

During the conference, it was agreed that one of the items in the agenda is to establish future research work for biotechnology as well as form a network for research institutions. The event also saw the launch of the Asian Biotechnology and Development Review, a journal that is published three times a year with the support of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and the Government of India.

• The Second Conference on Biotechnology for Asian Development

The Second Asian Biotech Conference was held from April 7 to 8, 2004 also at New Delhi, India. The event was organized by RIS in collaboration with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the World Conservation Union (IUCN). The former is India’s premier business association that exists to create and sustain an environment conducive to the growth of industry in India. The IUCN, on the other hand, is considered to be the largest international network working for environmental conservation and sustainable development. RIS also partnered with UNESCO as co- organizer for the event.

With 28 speakers from 16 different countries, more than 100 participants attended the conference. Among the key issues discussed during the second conference were:

1. Agriculture, food security and economic contribution of biotechnology
2. Public-private partnership in financing of biotechnology initiatives
3. Biotechnology, trade and IPR related issues, and
4. Implementation of the Biosafety Protocol, national legislations and other regulatory issues

The following statements serve as some of the more important conclusions and recommendations drawn from the Second Asian Biotechnology Conference:

1.
Emphasis on regional cooperation to deal with biotechnology and related safety should be a priority.
2.
Role of education and awareness is critical to ensure not only adoption of technology but also its integration to national agricultural systems.
3.
Impacts of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) on regional cooperation are critical and need urgent attention.
4.
Public-private sector partnerships are key to success.
5.
Socio-economic indicators on usefulness of biotechnology are weak and need strengthening.
6.
Responding to local needs should be a priority.
7.
The relationships between implementation principles of Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEA’s), especially the Cartagena Protocol and WTO, need critical review
8.
Experiences of countries like China, Sri Lanka, Thailand, the Philippines, Cuba, Mexico and others provide a good opportunity for assessing options and constraints.
9.
The need for policy that is responsive, transparent and relevant to local needs is critical for furthering the agenda on biotechnology and introducing the agenda at commercial scale.

B. Project Activity Description

The Philippines being an acknowledged leader in biotechnology policy and a trailblazer in governmental regulations in the region encouraged RIS to partner with the Biotechnology Coalition of the Philippines (BCP) for the Philippines to host the Third Asian Biotech Conference.

The conference’s theme for this year will be “Biotechnology Opportunities for Developing Countries.” The conference will be a two-day event from November 9 to 10, 2006, which will be held at the Diamond Hotel, Roxas Boulevard, Manila.

C. Objectives

The major objective of the event is to pursue ideas as to how developing countries can more effectively utilize biotechnology for national development.

The Third Asian Biotechnology Conference is intended to be a venue where major stakeholders, such as, the government, the academe, farmers, business, the Church, media as well as the international community, can converge, discuss issues, and establish linkages. It is envisioned to provide a forum for said stakeholders and other interest groups to formulate strategies that would enable developing countries to use biotechnology as an engine for growth and economic development.

The Philippines would benefit from this activity by harnessing its potentials in biotechnology, building up learnings and collaborating with other countries and research institution on specific projects, and eventually helping policymakers and regulators develop a master plan that would encourage the growth of the biotechnology industries in order to propel the country towards progress.

Taking its cue from the previous conferences, the Third Asian Biotechnology Conference has for its theme, “Biotechnology Opportunities for Developing Countries”. Specifically, the event intends to achieve the following goals:

1. To present updates on the current status and progress of modern biotechnology;
2.


 To share learnings and experiences in the fields of (a) biotech policy and regulatory development; (b) agri-biotechnology, biomedical, and environmental biotechnology; (c) intellectual property rights and bioethics; and (d) biocommercialization;
3.
 To identify niches in biotechnology where developing countries can play an active role;
4. To explore collaboration in specific areas; and
5.

 To identify possible linkages among government, academe and industry to attract investors.

D. Methodology

Last year, various committees, primarily the steering, the program, the finance, the publicity, and the documentation committees were organized to provide structure and serve as thinktank for the conference.

The conference theme was finalized during the first steering committee meeting, last 18 November 2005. The program and speakers were selected by the members of the Program and the Steering Committees. Experts in the various fields of biotechnology from Asia, Europe, and the United States were invited as speakers. Below is the program for the conference:

• Program

Day 1, 09 November 2006
9:00 – 12:00
OPENING CEREMONY
Backgrounder Dr. Nagesh Kumar, RIS Director General
Welcome Remarks Dr. William Padolina, IRRI Deputy Director General
Keynote Speech

Dr. Estrella Alabastro, Philippine Secretary of Science and Technology
The necessary first step in the development of biobusiness and bioenterprise is creation of appropriate policy. There is a need for enlightened policy makers who understand the value that appropriate infrastructure, trained human resources and a conducive policy structure provide in order to facilitate the creation of a successful life science base. While developing countries have policies in various stages of completeness, there is clearly a need to put in place clear unequivocal policies. Speakers shall address issues that must be examined for the creation of an enlightened policy environment and enabling mechanisms to help ensure that the policy is sufficiently nurtured to lead to successful fruition.
1:00 – 3:00
SESSION 1: WORLD PERSPECTIVE IN BIOCOMMERCIALIZATION
Enabling Policies(Lead Speaker & Session Chair): Dr. Gurinder Shahi
  Chairman, BioEnterprise Asia
Challenges for Policymakers Dr. S.R. Rao, Advisor to Indian Ministry for
  Science and Technology
Developed Country Biotechnology Policy Dr. Beverly Simmons,
  Director Biotechnology Group, United States
  Department of Agriculture
Developed Country Biotechnology Policy Mr. Patrick Deboyser
  Minister-Counsellor, Health and Food Safety
  European Union
Philippine Biotechnology Policy Dr. Segfredo Serrano, Undersecretary,
  Department of Agriculture
Philippine Biotechnology Policy Dr. Patricio Faylon, Executive
  Director, Philippine Council for Agriculture,
  Forestry, and Natural Resources Research
  and Development (PCARRD)
3:15 – 5:00
SESSION 2: ESSENTIAL ISSUES
Lead Speaker & Session Chair: Dr. Edgar DaSilva, Professor
Biosafety Dr. Wendy Craig, ICGEB
Biosafety Program for Biosafety Systems (PBS)
Bioremediation Dr. Ernesto Del Rosario, Professor, UPLB
Day 2, 10 November 2006
The second component of a successful life science-based industry depends upon sufficient numbers of technology innovators and entrepreneurs. This session will tackle the agri-biotechnology sector. Developing countries are in fact deeply involved in agri-biotechnology. Current status and potential niches in the agri-biotechnology arena shall be covered.

9:00 – 12:00
SESSION 3: ADVANCEMENT AND PROSPECTS IN ASIAN AGRI-BIOTECHNOLOGY
Session Chair: (To be Identified)
International Trends: Dr. Clive James, Chair, International Service for the
Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications
 
Bt eggplant Mahyco representative
Bt corn Dr. Jerry Flint, Asia-Pacific Lead, Technology
Development, Monsanto
 
GM rice Dr. Rhodora Aldemita, Chief Science Research
Specialist, PhilRice
 
Drought resistant crops Dr. Kiran K. Sharma, International Crops
Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)
 
Virus resistant papaya Dr. Dennis Gonsalves, Center Director, Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center
 
1:30 – 3:00
SESSION 4: ENABLING ISSUES
 
Session Chair:


 Dr. Reynaldo Ebora, Executive Director, PCASTRD Regional Coordinator for SEAsia, Program for Biosafety Systems
IPR Issues in India Dr. Sachin Chaturvedi, Fellow,
RIS Bioethics (To be Identified)
1:30 – 3:00
SESSION 5: APPLICATIONS OF BIOTECHNOLOGY (BIOMEDICAL)
 
Session Chair:

 Dr. Jaime Montoya, Executive Director, Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD)
Potentials and Constraints Dr. Gurinder Shahi, Chair, BioEnterprise Asia
 
Edible Vaccines

 Dr. Nina Barzaga, Professor of Medical Microbiology,
University of the Philippines
Diagnostics in Tropical Diseases

 Dr. Filipinas Natividad, Director for Biotech
Research, St. Luke’s Medical Center
3:15 – 4:30
CLOSING CEREMONY
 
Synthesis

 Dr. Emil Javier, President, Philippine National Academy of Science and Technology
Closing Message

 Hon. Domingo Panganiban, Secretary, Philippine
Department of Agriculture, Philippines
Each session will be followed by an open forum, which will be facilitated by the session chair. After the open forum, the session chair will also summarize and synthesize the session’s presentations and discussions in order to facilitate greater learning for the region.

E. Activity Schedule

Initial preparations for the conference started September last year. Brainstorming for the program, the conference theme, and selection of speakers started in November of last year. The topics for the program and speakers were finalized last July 2006.

The conference proper will be conducted from November 9 to 10, 2006 at the Diamond Hotel Philippines, Roxas Boulevard, Manila. A testimonial dinner will also ensue on the first day of the conference.

F. Project Management

The project will be implemented by the Biotechnology Coalition of the Philippines. The chair of the Third Asian Conference (AsianBio2006) is Dr. Reynaldo de la Cruz, with Dr. Benigno D. Peczon, BCP President and CEO, serving as his Co-Chair.

Several committees were also organized in order to facilitate the conduct of the event. Listed below are the primary committees and a listing of committee members:

  Steering Committee
       
  1. Sec. Estrella Alabastro
  2. Dr. William Padolina
  3. Dr. Sachin Chaturvedi
  4. Dr. Nagesh Kumar
  5. Dr. Edgar DaSilva
  6. Usec. Segfredo Serrano
  7. Dr. Rey dela Cruz
  8. Dr. Benigno Peczon
  9. Hon. Nereus Acosta
  10. Dir. Alice Ilaga
  11. Dr. Reynaldo Ebora
     
  Program Committee
     
  1. Dr. Patricio Faylon
  2. Dr. Cynthia Hedreyda
  3. Dr. Dolores Ramirez
  4. Mr. Abraham Manalo
  5. Dr. Amelia Ancog
  6. Dr. Desiree Hautea
  7. Dr. Celia Torres-Villanueva
  8. Dr. Teresita Espino
  9. Dr. Eufemio Rasco
  10. Dr. Evelyn Mae Tecson-Mendoza
  11. Dr. Virginia Monje
  12. Dr. Noel Miranda
  13. Dr. Gloria Despacio-Reyes
  14. Dr. Leocadio Sebastian
     
  Finance Committee
     
  1. Dr. Olivia Castillo
  2. Dr. Elias Escueta
  3. Dr. Nicomedez Eleazar
  4. Mr. Sim Cuyson
   
  Publicity Committee
     
  1. Mr. Angelo Palmones
  2. DOST Media Core
  3. Ms. Maoi Arroyo
  4. Philippine Chamber of Food Manufacturers Inc.
   
  Documentation Committee
     
  1. Ms. Sonny Tababa
  2. Dr. Choy Mamaril
  3. Dr. Marichel Navarro
  4. PCARRD staff
  5. PCASTRD staff