"If we cannot prevent the entry of GMOs...let us be given information to exercise our choice," Francis de la Cruz, executive director of the Citizens Alliance for Consumer Protection said at a forum on GMOs.

"What we are proposing is labelling of genetically modified foods," he added.

The Philippines, which imports soymeal, wheat, soybeans andcorn, still has no rules on the import and use of GMOs.

De la Cruz said consumer and environmentalist groups plan toask Congress to look into the use of GMOs in the country.

Agriculture Secretary Edgardo Angara told Reuters in aninterview on Thursday that government scientists are still studying the effect of GMOs on health.

"We hope the committee on bio-safety will come up with ascientific recommendation (from) which policy can be made," he said.

Angara also said he was open to the field testing ofgenetically modified seeds like corn in the country.

Local newspaper Businessworld reported early this week thatFilipino scientists received approval recently to conduct the country's first field testing of genetically-altered corn.

The paper said the scientists were given approval by theNational Committee on Bio-safety in the Philippines to test the viability of producing bacillum thurongensis (BT) corn.

Scientists said the BT corn variety contains a protein fromthe bacillum thurongensis bacteria which makes it resistant to the corn borer pest.