PHILIPPINE GOVT EYES BIOTECHNOLOGY AS EXPORT-REVENUE GENERATOR.

MANILA, May 3 Asia Pulse - The Philippine government is eyeing biotechnology as a potential export-revenue generator to establish a niche in the booming global bio-enterprise.

Biotechnology, according to the Asian Food Information Centre (AFIC), in its broadest sense, is the application of living organisms to develop new products.

For example, microscopic organisms are used in fermentation to produce vinegar and yoghurt, as well as leavened bread.

Other products of biotechnology include insulin to treat diabetes and a vaccine against Hepatitis B.

"We should tap the country's comparative strengths in biotechnology to secure our niche in the global bio-enterprise," said Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Undersecretary for S & T Services Fortunato de la Pea, who chairs the Biotech Cluster.

The Biotechnology Cluster, which involves stakeholders from public and private sectors, was constituted to develop and strengthen the biotechnology export enterprise in the country by leveraging on the countrys research outputs and infrastructure in biotechnology.

Banking on the countrys comparative strengths in its biodiversity and an adequate number of highly trained scientists and researchers in biotechnology and related fields, the Export Development Council recently added biotechnology as a new sector in its Cluster Strategy for export development.