CAPIZ – An environmental group has linked the recent widespread flooding in Capiz and northern Iloilo to the conversion of forestlands into genetically modified (GM) corn plantations, saying such practices have worsened soil erosion and siltation in the region’s watersheds.
Engineer Melvin Purzuelo, executive director of Green Forum Panay Guimaras, said in a social media post on Monday, October 20, that “the severe flooding in Capiz and northern Iloilo is significantly aggravated by GM corn plantations in the uplands.”
“One of the major causes of siltation and flooding is the conversion of forests into cornfields,” Purzuelo said. “The mountains of Capiz and northern Iloilo are now almost entirely covered with cornfields.”
He explained that the clearing of forests for Bt+RR (Bacillus thuringiensis + Roundup Ready) corn, combined with the extensive use of glyphosate-based herbicides, has caused massive soil erosion. Sediment runoff from upland farms, he added, has constricted river systems and tributaries, reducing their capacity to carry water and worsening floods in low-lying communities.
Purzuelo blamed herbicide manufacturers, government agencies promoting GM crops, and local government units that fail to enforce land-use and zoning regulations.
“All of them bear a great responsibility for the damage caused by these floods,” he stressed.
He also raised the question of accountability, asking whether victims of the disaster could pursue legal action against herbicide manufacturers for environmental and property damage.
Environmental experts have echoed these concerns. Dr. Teodoro Mendoza, retired professor of the University of the Philippines Los Baños, said the widespread use of glyphosate kills vegetation and weakens soil health, increasing surface runoff during heavy rains. Similar flooding incidents linked to GM corn plantations have been documented in northern Luzon, he added.
Meanwhile, Dr. Donna Josue Canacan of Mindanao State University warned that herbicide overuse leads to weed resistance, prompting farmers to apply even stronger chemical mixtures that degrade soil and trigger landslides and flash floods.
A 2020 study by Bequet also found that GM corn farms have a 55% higher probability of landslides, while a 2017 study in Capiz by MASIPAG (Magsasaka at Siyentipiko para sa Pag-unlad ng Agrikultura) revealed traces of glyphosate in local soil, water, and even in farmers’ urine samples—highlighting both environmental and health risks.
The concerns come as Negros Occidental considers lifting its long-standing ban on GM corn through a proposed GMO Regulatory Ordinance, sparking renewed debate among environmental advocates and livestock producers.
The discussion gained traction after Tropical Storm “Ramil” brought torrential rains across Capiz and northern Iloilo on October 18, resulting in widespread devastation.
It can be recalled that the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Capiz declared the province under a state of calamity on October 21 following the recommendation of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC).
According to PDRRMC head Shiela Artillero, the flooding affected 216 barangays in 15 municipalities, displacing 27,285 families or over 102,000 individuals. Three fatalities have been confirmed, while agricultural losses reached more than P105 million, with over 4,100 hectares of farmland damaged.
Purzuelo and other environmental advocates said the devastation should serve as a wake-up call for policymakers to reassess agricultural practices, particularly the unregulated expansion of GM corn plantations in upland areas.
“Unless we address the root causes — deforestation, chemical dependence, and poor land management — these floods will only get worse,” Purzuelo warned./PN
