Environment Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna underscored the important role of biotechnology in agriculture, health, industry, environmental protection, and sustainable development during the launch of kick-off of the 2026 National Biotechnology Week.
‘Nearly two decades after Presidential Proclamation No. 1414 was issued in 2007, the Philippine biotechnology landscape has grown considerably. What began as research and laboratory work in universities and government laboratories has developed into a national, multidisciplinary effort that connects science with agriculture, health, industry, environmental protection, and sustainable development,’ Cuna said in a speech delivered by Undersecretary Ernesto Adobo Jr.
This year’s ‘Biotek para sa Kinabukasan: Kalikasan, Kalusugan, Kagandahan, Kabuhayan at Kaunlaran,’ is a reminder that biotechnology is not only about what happens in a laboratory, but how science can help in responding to various challenges, Cuna said.
‘For the DENR, those challenges are very real. We have degraded lands that need to be restored. We need better planting materials for forests and bamboo. We have native species that need to be conserved. And we need better scientific information to guide how we manage our natural resources,’ he said.
‘This is where biotechnology can make a difference. One example is H2OrganicsTM, developed by our researchers at the Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau. It is a locally developed hydroseeding technology intended to help rehabilitate mined-out and degraded lands by improving moisture retention, supporting plant establishment, and helping stabilize soil,’ the DENR chief said.
‘We see this same practical focus in ERDB’s HI-Q VAM 1-a biofertilizer technology harnessing beneficial mycorrhizal fungi. By forming a natural symbiosis with plant roots, it helps improve water and nutrient absorption, supports seedling survival, and helps stabilize degraded soils,’ he added.
Cuna said that there are good examples of biotechnology responding to a very practical environmental problem. Instead of simply asking what new technology we can develop, we are asking what technology can help us restore land that has already been damaged.
‘Biotechnology is also helping us restore forests and produce quality planting materials. Through plant tissue culture, ERDB researchers are developing ways to propagate priority forest trees and bamboo species. These efforts can help provide more planting materials for reforestation, biodiversity conservation, sustainable forest management, and climate-resilient restoration,’ Cuna added.
According to Cuna, the DENR’s biotechnology efforts also contribute to the conservation and sustainable use of biological resources, citing research on the in vitro propagation of gugo (Entada phaseoloides), which is exploring ways to increase the availability of planting material while supporting the conservation of this economically valuable Philippine medicinal plant.
‘In parallel, molecular biotechnology has been used to examine the genetic diversity of narra populations from different parts of the country. This information provides a scientific basis for identifying and selecting appropriate planting materials and populations for conservation, restoration, and reforestation,’ he added.
According to Cuna, while these are different applications, it shows something important; that biotechnology can give the DENR additional tools to address some of the environmental problems we deal with every day.
The DENR chief admitted that developing a technology is only part of the work, where it can be applied, whether it is appropriate for the communities and ecosystems concerned, and how it can be delivered from research into practical practice, requires collaboration. Jonathan L. Mayuga
‘The work we are doing cannot be carried by one agency or one institution alone. Our researchers need to work with other government agencies, universities, local governments, communities, and industry. We need to share knowledge, learn from one another, and make sure that our research remains connected to the needs on the ground,’ he said.
‘We also need to make sure that innovation is pursued responsibly.’
Cuna said that the DENR is committed to strengthening research and innovation in environmental biotechnology, deepening partnerships that can help bring promising technologies from the laboratory into actual practice, and ensuring that these innovations are developed and applied responsibly, with ecosystems and communities in mind.
‘In doing so, we hope to bring science closer to the environmental challenges we face on the ground. To our researchers and scientists, I encourage you to continue pursuing questions that can help us understand and address the environmental challenges of our country,’ he said.