Background

Philippines Wealth Creation Programme from Biiodiversity Resources

The Philippines has high biodiversity, being among the mega-diverse countries of the world. It has prolific and highly diverse marine and coastal resources which makes it the third highest in marine biodiversity in the world. For example, it hosts a total of 464 reef-building coral species or nearly half of all known coral species. The country also has 1700 reef species and 9% of the total known global coral reef area at 25,060 sq. km. Philippine marine fisheries produced a total fisheries volume of 5 million metric tons in 2009 valued at PhP 215.58 billion. The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) estimates the fishing industry’s contribution to the country’s GDP at 2.2% (PhP 170.3 billion) and 4.4% (PhP63.2 billion) at current and constant prices, respectively. Marine mollusks have high medicinal value and the Philippines teems with them. It must be noted that marine organisms are the source of 60% of new anti-cancer agents currently on trial. Aside from this, they also hold potential for possible central nervous system, anti-microbial drugs and enzymes for cellulosic biofuels production. Philippine waters are estimated to harbor an estimated 10,000 species or approximately one fifth of all known species. The country’s marine waters are also widely regarded by marine biologists as the epicenter of marine biodiversity.

The Philippines is home to an estimated 53,500+ species of plants and animals. Recent reviews have recognized 105 species of amphibians (79% endemic) and 264 reptiles (68% endemic), while recent summaries of birds have recognized 593 species (32% endemic). Mammal diversity is currently estimated at 175 native terrestrial mammals (65% endemic). Total country estimates include as many as 15,000+ plants (and their relatives) and 38,000+ animals (vertebrates and invertebrates). These numbers are considered conservative considering that recent studies have shown that terrestrial biodiversity of the Philippines is substantially under estimated. The Philippines has one of the highest rates of species discovery in the world (sixteen new species of mammals have been discovered in the last ten years alone). New species are being discovered at a remarkable rate and this pattern shows no sign of slowing. Current taxonomic estimates show that the Philippines has the highest level of endemism in the Indo-Malayan Realm on a per unit-area basis and the highest concentration of biodiversity on earth .

However, “leakage” in revenue generation is happening from the environment sector  through bio-piracy of the country’s genetic pool. As stated above, the Philippines’ marine waters alone hold untold economic potential for drugs and fuels.  Marine sponges, mollusks and sea squirts, for instance, have been the subject of many biomedical studies as potential sources for anti-microbial and anti-cancer drugs. The recent study done by the UP Marine Science Institute in partnership with the Oregon Health and Science University, University of Utah, the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia and Ocean Genome Legacy showed that marine mollusks found in the Philippines have unusual bacteria strains that have utility as drugs for central nervous system disorders, anti-cancer agents and anti-microbial treatments . 

However, despite discoveries made by local scientists or the fact that some of these genetic materials, plants and biological resources have long been identified, developed and used by communities and indigenous peoples, many large corporations make huge profits from patenting these knowledge and biological materials without properly recognizing and rewarding the sources.

Few examples that have been biopirated in the country are the following

Japan has patented nata de coco, a food product made of coconut water that originated in the Philippines.

Philippine endemic plants have not been spared. "Ampalaya" or bitter gourd (Momordica charantia) is now privately-owned by the US National Institute of Health, the US Army and the New York University which have successfully gained the US patent numbers US 5484889, JP 6501089 and EP 553357,  respectively, on the Vitamin A-rich vegetable.

Ampalaya, mixed with another Philippine vegetable "talong" or eggplant (Solanum melongena) are traditional food that make up the Philippine delicacy "pinakbet", an effective cure against diabetes.  Today, scientists from the US pharmaceutical company Cromak Research, Inc.  in New Jersey has started raking in profits reaching to as high as $500  million from the anti-diabetic product extracted from the two vegetables. Diabetes, together with cancer and tuberculosis, was named recently by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a leading disease for this new century.

Philippine yew tree (Taxus sumatrana) which has been reported by the government's Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) as having been patented by the University of Philadelphia. The tree, found only in Mount Pulag, contained taxol, a cancer-curing chemical, according to DENR.

The Philippine sea snail (Conus magus) has already been patented by Neurex, Inc. a US-based pharmaceutical company and has earned millions of dollars for the company. Neurex, with the help of scientists from the Marine Science Institute of the University of the Philippines (UP-MSI) and the University of Utah, have been isolating from the snail a toxin called SNX-111 which is a pain killer that is reported by scientists to be 1,000 times more powerful than morphine.

French fashion house Yves St. Laurent has been importing ilang-ilang (Cananga odorata) flowers from the Philippines for more than 20 years, making use of its extract in their high class line of perfumes. Although native to many Southeast Asian countries, the species cultivated in the Philippines was found to be of high quality. Just a few years ago, Yves St. Laurent stopped importing ilang-ilang from the Philippines, put up its own plantations in Africa and secured a patent for its perfume formula based on the native Filipino species.

Banaba (Lagerstroemia speciosa) is a well known herbal medicine used in the Cordillera highlands and other parts of the Philippines. It is known to treat fever, diarrhea, diabetes and as a purgative and stimulant by traditional healers. However, the anti-diabetic property of banaba — a property known to many traditional healers and well documented in national literature — has been patented by a Japanese company Itoen KK.

Another Japanese company also recently patented the anti-stress property of saluyot or jute. According to the Department of Health, Japan funded a jute plantation in Central Luzon and has put up a plant to process the medicine and sell it in both powdered and tablet form. Other popular backyard Filipino herbal medicines like sambong, lagundi and takip kuhol (Centella asiatica), have also been the subject of many patent claims by Japanese companies.

The examples above prove that Philippines should have claimed some benefits from the use of its resources.  Though some of this are not endemic to the Philippines, but nevertheless, it prove the point that the country has many more resources which if used wisely can generate wealth and would be more than enough to trigger economic development and alleviate poverty in the country.  Continuing bio piracy might be happening unknowingly and this may continue to result to opportunity lost for the country in tapping its genetic resources for income generation. Hence, DENR will undertake to assess the potential of its genetic resources in generating income.  It will seek the assistance of a resource economist to study the forgone and/or potential monetary benefits from bio-piracy or bio-prospecting.

Duties and Responsibilities

  • Assess the forgone monetary benefits of bio-pirated species/traditional knowledge in the country;
  • Work with the other consultants, especially with the Genetic Resource Expert, on the list of genetic researches in advance stage with commercialization potential;
  • Assess the potential monetary benefits of these genetic researches with commercialization potential;
  • Propose a fair and equitable benefit sharing scheme taking into account the real economic/monetary value of the resource under study;
  • Work closely with the Genetic Resource Expert on valuing the genetic resources with commercial potential;
  • Collaborate with other consultants and provide inputs to the Lead Integrator/Project Development Consultant on possible interventions needed for a fair and equitable benefit sharing scheme and protocol.

Expected Outputs and Deliverables:

  • Inception report;
  • 1st draft of the report on the 1) forgone benefits of bio-pirated species in the country; 2)potential monetary benefits of genetic resources; and 3) proposed benefit sharing scheme on genetic resources;
  • Final draft of the report.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

  • Demonstrates commitment to UNDP’s mission, vision and values;
  • Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
  • Highest standards of integrity, discretion and loyalty.

 Functional Competencies:

  • Sound understanding of key software packages (MS Office);
  • Preferably with sufficient knowledge of UNDP and GEF and some level of familiarity with its operations;
  • Advocacy/Advancing a policy-oriented agenda;
  • Results-based programme development and management;
  • Maintaining a network of contacts and partners;
  • Innovation and marketing of new approaches;
  • Job knowledge/technical expertise.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

  • A degree in economics, agricultural economics, environmental economics.

Experience:

  • At least 5 years of experience in the field of environmental economics especially in resource valuation;
  • Working experience with government agencies, NGOs, and private sector in the Philippines;
  • Familiarity with national and local policies relevant to bio-prospecting and/or access and benefit sharing, intellectual property rights, etc.;
  • Good in word processing, preferably Word, Excel, Power-point.

Language:

  • Proficient in English.

Scope of Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments

The financial proposals from possible candidates should be expressed in lump sum amount inclusive of all financial costs related to this engagement (i.e. transportation/travel to and from residence-Manila and/or within Metro Manila, supplies & materials, reproduction, communications including internet).  However,  travel costs (eg. fares and DSAs) to sites outside of Metro Manila shall be borne by DENR.   DSA rates will follow the NIM prescribed rates.

Payment Terms are as follows:

  • 20% - upon submission of inception report;
  • 40% - upon submission of  1st draft of the report on the 1) forgone benefits of bio-pirated species in the country; 2)potential monetary benefits of genetic resources; and 3) proposed benefit sharing scheme on genetic resources;
  • 40% - upon submisison of Final draft of the report.

Criteria for Selection of the Best Offer

The combined scoring method where the qualifications and methodology will be weighted a maximum of 70%, and combined with the price offer which will be weighted a max of 30% shall be adopted.

 Recommended Presentation of Offer:

  • CV;
  • Financial proposal (pls visit the Procuremnet section of the UNDP Philippine Country Office to download the form).

CV's and financial proposals may be submitted on or before 5 September 2014 in the address below:

United Nations Development Programme
30th Floor, Yuchengco Tower, RCBC Plaza
6819 Ayala Avenue corner Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati City
Tel: +63 2 9010100/Fax: +63 2 9010200/8897177
procurement.ph@undp.org/registry.ph@undp.org