The rape of the Philippine forests is nothing new but the plunder and theft of its rich biodiversity have just begun. The country's forest resources, minerals, agricultural and medicinal plants and indigenous knowledge are being looted by monopoly companies that make millions of dollars patenting and selling plant and human germplasm, even those who used to own it.

At least one tree with cancer-curing potential, four native Philippine vegetables, one snail which produces the most effective painkiller, an antibiotic-producing soil fungus, one fruit tree and several rice varieties have been stolen through bio-prospecting and are now owned by foreign pharmaceutical companies.

Bio-prospecting or bio-piracy is the exploration, extraction and screening of biological diversity and indigenous knowledge for commercial genetic and biochemical purposes. It is done by multinational firms and governments of developed countries, with covert cooperation from scientists within victim nations. They patent and map chromosomes of genetic resources without informing, consulting, acknowledging and duly compensating the sources.

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In Mount Pulag, Benguet, the nation's second highest mountain, short by 26 feet to match Mount Apo, the Philippine yew tree (Taxus matrana), a taxol-containing tree which has great potential in treating cancer illnesses was yanked out from the national park and sanctuary. Sandra Buking, environmental research specialist of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, claimed that patenting was made possible by researchers from the University of Massachusetts.

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The loss of biodiversity and property rights, especially those owned by ethnic and tribal peoples, is causing widespread tendency to mismanage resource because no proper price is being paid for their exploitation, a report of the Asian Development Bank noted.

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Beyond the theft of Philippine plants, animals, animals and microorganisms is the current patenting of human tissues and the exploitation and trade of these, especially among indigenous peoples whose blod, hair, nails and tissues are subjected to biotechnology. Rural Advancement Foundation Internation, an influential biodiversity conservation institution based in Canada, has indicated that in the Philippines, the Aeta tribe and a sub-tribe in Ifugao, were reported to have submitted blood and tissues to bio-pirates. Vicky Tauli-Corpuz of the Baguio City-based United Nations Volunteer Fund for Indigenous Peoples says indigenous peoples worldwide are being patented because they own certain characteristics which are unique, like resistance to certain diseases, extreme tolerance to pain, agility and keenness in certain traits.

When a scientist modifies a genetic sequence or transfers a genetic sequence to another life form, he claims ownership on his new creation. This endangers indigenous peoples' own existence which brings to ind the case of the Hagahai tribe in Papua New Guinea who were tricked by American anthropologist Carol Jenkins into donating their blood and tissues. Unknown to them, these were used to create an anti-leukemia drug; the tribe's blood contained HLTV-1 which is resistant to the illness.