Alvin A. Soriano February 14, 2000

A pleasant morning Ladies and Gentlemen. I would like to share my views on why cloning should be legalized in the Philippines. We, the experts in the Institute of Technological Technologies feel that with the careful continuation of research, the technological benefits of cloning clearly outweigh the possible social consequences. We think that final products of cloning, like farm animals, and laboratory mice will not be the most important achievement. The applications of cloning as we envision are not nightmarish and inhumane, but will improve the overall quality of science and life. Cloning will help to produce discoveries that will effect the study of genetics, cell development, human growth, and obstetrics. Human cloning is not the issue. It is merely a threat to the continuation of cloning research. The arguments of my peers and other experts are as follows:

According to Sir Colin Campbell of Nottingham University, cloning experiments may add to the understanding of genetics and lead to the creation of animal organs that can be easily accepted by humans. This would supply limitless organs to those in need. The growth of the human organs is similar to the growth at which cancer cells propagate. If information derived from cloning research allows scientists to stop the division of the human ovum, a technique for terminating cancer may be found. Therefore, if cloning is legalized research for human spare parts and the cure for cancer will endure. Being successful in making this dream a reality will become distinct.

My second argument came from the brilliant mind of Susanne Hutner who is a director of two biotechnological program at the University of California. She said that cloning could also be used for parents who risk passing a defect to a child. A fertilized ovum could be cloned, and the duplicate tested for disease and disorder. If the clone was free from defects, then other would be as well. The latter could be implanted in the womb.

Dr. George Seidel Jr., a distinguished Physiology professor at the Colorado State University, said that damage to the nervous system could be treated through cloning. Damaged adult nerve tissue does not regenerate on its own. However, stem cells might be able to repair the damaged tissue. Because of the large number of cells required, human embryo cloning would be required.

In in-vitro fertilization, a doctor often implants many fertilized ova into a woman's uterus and counts on one resulting in pregnancy. However, some women can only supply one egg. Through cloning, that egg could be divided into eight zygotes for implanting. The chances of pregnancy would be much greater.

Therefore, because cloning can bring medical and also scientific breakthroughs, it is imperative that cloning be legalized. It is like a cave wherein there is lots of gold but no one tries to mine there because there is a belief that ghosts dwell in that certain cave!

Ladies and Gentlemen: we can say that life is the most important possession we have. The only thing that we propose is give us the chance to preserve this life that you cherish. Through cloning we can not only preserve life but also let the people enjoy it by not having the burden of having dangerous diseases and congenital defects.

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