The Philippines bans some genetically modified foods

Greenpeace described it as a “monumental win”. Lauro Diego, a rice-farmer in the Philippines, sees it as a “triumph” against “genetic erosion”. But advocates of genetically modified (GM) foods say the decision could be disastrous for poor Filipinos. In April environmentalists convinced a court in the Philippines to ban golden rice, a GM food that had been approved for cultivation in 2021. Green groups claimed it could contaminate other crops. Their success could scupper a golden opportunity to feed the Philippines—and possibly Asia.