The Department of Environment and Natural Resources, through its Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau (ERDB), opened the 22nd National Biotechnology Week on Monday at the DENR Multipurpose Hall.

The four-day event centers on the theme “Biotek para sa Kinabukasan: Kalikasan, Kalusugan, Kagandahan, Kabuhayan at Kaunlaran.”

It features an intercollegiate genetics quiz organized by the University of the Philippines Los Baños Genetics Society, technology pitches by the Department of Agriculture, discussions led by the Department of Trade and Industry and scientific forums hosted by the Department of Science and Technology.

A highlight of this year’s event is the introduction of the Pinoy Biotek Hub website, designed to serve as a centralized digital repository for government-backed biotechnology innovations developed nationwide.

“This year’s National Biotechnology Week is very significant because we have the Pinoy Biotek Hub, a platform where all the biotechnology produced in the past can be accessed by the Filipino people,” DENR-ERDB director Lormelyn Claudio said.

Claudio encouraged high school and college students to consider degree programs in biotechnology and related fields to help drive economic growth and sustainable development.

She cited data indicating that approximately 6 percent of the total Filipino student population has considered biotechnology-related academic tracks.

Several Philippine institutions offer specialized degrees in the field, including UPLB, UP Diliman, UP Manila, UP Visayas, the University of Santo Tomas and Visayas State University.

Claudio added that the Inter-Agency Committee on Biotechnology continues to address public understanding of biosafety, biosecurity, and practical applications in medicine and agriculture.

Biotechnology advocates cited that while public understanding has grown significantly since formal government initiatives began in 1980, outreach efforts remain ongoing.

“We have achieved a lot already in terms of education on safety and risk,” said Dr. Nina Gloriani, former president of the Biotechnology Coalition of the Philippines.

“It is a lot better, but there are still groups that make it difficult to accept biotechnology. We even try to educate the judiciary for them to understand science,” she added.