1
TARIFF MEASURES
Structure
of the tariff schedule
The Philippines applies an
eight-digit tariff nomenclature based on the Harmonized System. The
tariff schedule has one column of statutory customs duty rates.
Tariff
publications
- Tariff
and Customs Code of the Philippines, Harmonized Commodity Description and
Coding System, Volume 1, June 2002, Philippine Tariff Commission, East
Avenue, Quezon City.
Current information on customs-related
matters is available from the Commissioner of Customs, Bureau of Customs,
Port Area, Metro Manila.
| 12 |
MFN
The Philippines grants at
least most-favoured nations treatment to all trading partners. With
the MFN tariff schedule in force as of 1 of January 1999 through Executive
Order 63 effective 21 January 1999, 176 tariff lines are duty free, essentially,
goods such as compound chemicals, rubber and articles thereof, wood, textile
yarns, laboratory and hygienic glassware, ferrous waste and scrap, machinery,
plant of laboratory equipment, apparatus and equipment for photography,
instruments and appliances used in medical, surgical and veterinary sciences.
The largest part of tariff lines bearing the following rates of 3%, 5%,
7%, 10%, 20%,
25% and
30% are set on basic products, agricultural goods, fish and crustaceans,
raw materials, and manufacturing activities of intermediate and finished
goods. A limited number of tariff items subject to rates starting
from 35, to 80%include sensitive agricultural
products, maize, rice, sugar, meat and meat products, food preparations,
beverages and spirits. Effective December 2000 the Philippine government
has agreed to maintain tariffs of petrochemicals and automotive parts at
current levels up to year 2004. This policy covers most MFN tariff
rates levied on goods coming from countries outside ASEAN. MFN rates
should go down to no more than 5% in 2004, and duties of polymers would
be kept at 15% up to 2004 also. The government has agreed to keep
MFN rates currently at 3% to 10% for completely knocked down units, and
20% and 30% for completely built up units, up to 2004 with an option for
extension. The government has agreed to keep MFN tariffs on other
goods up to 2001 with a gradual reduction until 2004. The
reductions are expected to lead to a unified 5% by 2004. The
tariff freeze would cover all agricultural commodities, industrial goods,
and locally finished produced goods in low quantity. |
| 13 |
Bound
rates
Bound rates are set on selected
agricultural, chemical and industrial products, certain machinery and electrical
equipment and measuring instruments. These rates apply to WTO members,
and to non-WTO countries if they have an agreement in force with the Philippines
providing for a most-favoured nation (MFN) treatment on tariffs. i.e. Bulgaria,
Iraq, China, Vietnam and the Russian Federation.
As a result of the Uruguay
Round, almost all agricultural goods (rice excepted) and about half of
the manufacturing tariff lines have been bound. |
| 14 |
Tariff
quota rates
With the Uruguay Round implementation,
quantitative restrictions on agricultural goods have been converted into
tariff quotas set mainly on live animals (HS 01.01, 01.03-01.05) except
live bovine animals (HS 01.020); pork (HS 02.03); sheep or goat meat (HS
02.04 poultry meat (HS 02.07); potatoes (HS 07.1); coffee (HS 09.01); maize
(HS 10.05) and sugar (HS 17.01). In addition, under the Tariff and
Customs Code of the Philippines, some agricultural products (25) are subject
to both in-and out-quota tariff rates, i.e. no tariff quotas or minimum
access volumes have been defined for items in the following product groups:
meat and edible flours (HS 02.10) consisting of four tariff lines; onions,
shallots, garlic (HS 07.0310, 07.0320) affecting two lines; cabbages under
(HS 07.04.90.10) in one line; sausages and similar products (HS 16.01)
covering two lines; and other prepared meat (HS affecting 16 lines). |
| 15 |
Seasonal
rates
Seasonal duties are imposed
on fresh, chilled or frozen fish. |
| 16 |
Temporary
reduced duties
Under Section 105 of the Tariff
and Customs Code, duty free import is allowed for the following articles:
goods for exhibition, donations for charity, aquatic products caught by
Philippines registered fishing vessels, articles for official use by embassies
and other agencies of foreign governments, educational books and publications,
importation of goods for the purpose of repair or reconditioning, to be
re-exported upon completion, as well as importation into special economic
zones. Within the tariff reduction scheme reduced rates are set on
raw materials for the manufacture of medicaments. Furthermore, the
Tariff and Related Matters (TRM) Committee trimmed down the number of agricultural
products and capital goods to be imported at the rate of 3%. In addition
through the Republic Act 8509 and its implementing regulations of January
1999, also called the Jewellery Industry Development Act, suspended rates
have been set on import of diamonds and precious metals and capital goods
of the sector. The draft Executive Order (EO) sheltering the Agriculture
and Fisheries Modernization Act (AFMA) ratified in 1999 and to be implemented
for five years, enumerates about 318 tariff lines covered by the duty-free
provision of AFMA.
Export
producers registered firms are exempt from the payment of duties and taxes
on imported raw materials, capital equipment and supplies. |
| 17 |
Temporary
increased duties
Temporary increased duties
of more than 50% are set on certain kinds of meat, fish, and consumer durables,
to offset the impact of the elimination of some quantitative restrictions,
in accordance with executive Order No. 8 of July 1992. |
19
Preferential duties under trade agreements
| 19.1 |
The Philippines participates
in the Global System of Trade Preferences among Developing Countries (GSTP),
which provides for the exchange of trade concessions among developing countries.
The tariff concessions granted by the Philippines consist of four products
under HS 7308.30.00, HS 7308.90.00, HS 8213.00.00, and 8301.10.00, each
of which gets a 10% margin preference from its base.
The Philippines is member of
the Bangkok Agreement for liberalized trade among the less developed member
countries of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
together with India, Korea, Laos, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. The agreement
provides for tariff concessions on some agricultural items, manufactured
goods, chemicals and minerals. |
| 19.2 |
The Philippines belongs to
the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) together with Brunei,
Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. ASEAN
aimed at promoting economic, social, cultural and scientific ties, as well
as trade and monetary policies. Other areas of cooperation among
ASEAN members, include harmonization of standards, reciprocal recognition
of tests and certification of products. In 1992, members called for
the formation of an ASEAN Free Trade Area. In
this regard, the Philippines, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and
Thailand, began implementing the Asean Free Trade Area on 1 of January
2002, bringing a reduction in tariff rates to 5% or less on all goods made
at least with 40 percent of ASEAN goods, which tariff rates will be reduced
to 0% by 2010, and quantitative restrictions and other non tariff barriers
removed. As for the latecomers, Vietnam joined ASEAN in 1995, and
began implementing AFTA on 1 of January 2003, Burma and Laos joined the
group in 1997 and will complete tariff reduction by 2005, whereas Cambodia
which joined in 1999, will complete the tariff reduction by 2007; in the
year 2015, final reductions will be achieved by these 4 countries.
No common external tariff
is planned; tariff rates on imports from non-ASEAN countries will
continue to be determined individually.
Since
1 of January 2003, the ASEAN countries have announced the abolishment of
tariffs on 60 per cent of traded goods and the introduction of a 5% on
import tariffs within its six original members, i.e. the Philippines, Brunei,
Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. Products affected
essentially by this measure are electronic products, machinery items and
petrochemicals. And goods excluded from the tariff-reduction agreement
are goods of key industries in some of the member countries, for example,
the Philippines and Indonesia will delay the 5% cap on sugar and petroleum,
and Malaysia will shelve the cap on car imports, until 2005. As for
Cambodia, Myanmar, Lao People's Democratic Republic and Vietnam, the four
ASEAN's latecomers, will introduce the 5 per cent tariff cap only in 2010.
With
the ASEAN Industrial Cooperation Scheme, AICO, a final maximum 5% tariff
rate is set on automotive products. In addition, unlike the Common
Effective Preferential Tariff (CEPT) which allows a 0-5% tariff rate on
all products traded by 2004, the AICO grants an immediate tariff of between
0-5% on products enrolled under the programme.
The eight
ASEAN summit was held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, from 4 to 6 November 2002.
During this meeting, several free trade plans were developed involving
14 Asian countries, i.e. the 10 Asean members such as the Philippines,
Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand,
and Vietnam, China, India, Japan and the Republic of Korea. The objectives
of these free-trade plans are to quicken the pace of trade liberalization
and foster multilateralism in the region.
In addition
to intra-ASEAN trade and ties, ASEAN aims at strengthening links with other
preferential trade regimes in the region, for example, the high-level task
force between the AFTA and the Closer Economic Relations (CER, i.e. a trade
agreement between Australia and New Zealand) established to study the feasibility
of settling and AFTA-CER free-trade agreement by 2010. ASEAN is pursuing
similar agreements with other regional grouping such as the Southern Common
Market (MERCOSUR), and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
The Philippines
is also a member of the Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) along
with Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong,
Japan, Rep. of Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea,
Peru, Russia, Singapore, Thailand, the United States and Vietnam.
APEC is a multilateral forum formed in 1989 so that Asian and Pacific economies
can promote economic cooperation and mutual assistance in developing key
economic sectors, including trade and investment. On 15 of November
1994, member countries agreed to implement open and free trade among themselves
by 2020, with advanced industrialized nations realizing the trade liberalization
goal by 2010. At their 1997 meeting in Vancouver, APEC leaders agreed
on Voluntary Sectoral Liberalization (EVSL) to take place in 15 sectors,
and the tariff elements of nine sectors were identified under the "accelerated
tariff liberalization" (ATL) package i.e. chemicals, energy, environment,
fish and fish products, forest products, gems and jewellery, medical equipment
and instruments, and toys, as well as a mutual recognition agreement concerning
telecommunications. The ATL initiative aims at achieving a zero target
for almost all sectors by 2008. |
| 19.3 |
The
Philippines through the framework of ASEAN, maintains a commercial and
economic cooperation agreement with the European Union. The agreement
provides for most favoured-nation treatment and studies to remove trade
barriers, create new trade patterns, and recommend trade promotion measures.
A new
trade initiative between the ASEAN and the U.S.A. has been set up as the
Enterprise for Asean Initiative (EAI), which objectives aim at developing
the Southeast Asian Region, and enhance close U.S. ties with ASEAN.
The EAI offers bilateral free trade agreements (FTAs) between the United
States and individual ASEAN countries, by determining jointly the launching
of FTA negotiations. ASEAN members and China leaders decided in Brunei
on November 2001 to work on creating a free trade area within the next
ten years. |
2
PARA-TARIFF MEASURES
| 22.3 |
Licensing
fees or administrative charges are levied at different rates on import
licensing request per unit on the importation of the following goods: 200.00
per permit for the importation of carabaos, buffaloes, cattle, horses,
ponies, asses, mules, donkeys, swine and goats; 100.00 per permit for dogs
and cats, and other domestic livestock, bull semen and other animal semen,
embryo; 100.00 per permit for adult chicken, geese, turkeys, ducks, pigeons
doves, quails, and other adult domesticated fowls, chicks, poults, ducklings,
and other young fowls; 100.00 per head of fighting or game birds; 100.00
per permit of hatching eggs, 20.00 per egg of hatching eggs of gamebirds;
200.00 per permit of meat and meat products; 100.00 per permit of large-size
wild animals and birds, medium-size wild animals and birds, small wild
animals and birds. 1,500.00 for fresh/chilled/frozen fish and fishery aquatic
products.
10.00
per firearm, 0.05%/pc for ammunition and 0.01/pc for its components such
as shells, primers, 0.25/pc for gunpowder, spare parts 5.00/pc; 1.000.00
for barrel, frames, slides, reloading machine, 5.00 bullet-proof vests.
The permit fee to unload explosive is 0.25/kg, its ingredients in solid
or in liquid form, 0.02/l; detonating cords, 0.01/m; detonating cords,
safety fuses, blasting caps, connector 0.01/pc. 300 per permit for various
chemicals for the manufacture of explosives. 100.00 per permit for
fish and fishery aquatic products, 5.00 per clearance of antibiotics, 30.00
per chemical of acetic anhydride.
Furthermore,
a Tobacco Inspection fee at the rate of PO.50 is set on cigars per thousand
or fraction thereof; PO10 on cigarettes per thousand or fraction
thereof; PO.02 on leaf tobacco per kg. or fraction thereof, and PO.03 on
scrap and other manufactured tobacco per kg. or fraction thereof.
In addition, various fees are also imposed on imports and include processing
fees on ordinary claim for refund, registration fees for participation
in public action sales, laboratory fees for services rendered by the Customs
Laboratory Unit, and brokerage fees for licensed customs brokers. |
| 22.9 |
The
amount of 2.500.00 pesos is paid for every entry filed through the SGL,
an advance processing mode of clearing import shipments to the Philippines
by importers qualified for super green lane transactions, a system established
by the Bureau of Customs which overtook preshipment inspection after SGS
contract expiration of March 2000. |
23
Internal taxes and charges levied on imports
| 23.1 |
A value added tax of 10% of
the duty paid value is imposed on all imports with the exception of non-processed
agricultural, marine and forest products, fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides,
chemicals for the formation of pesticides, seeds, seedlings, animal food,
soya beans, fish meal, certain petroleum products, raw materials for the
manufacture of petroleum products subject to excise taxes, and newspapers
and periodicals.
VAT is implemented by Executive
Order No. 273 in the Official Gazette No. 31 of August 1987. Are
exempted from the VAT the sale and importation of certain primary products,
books, newspapers and magazines, importation of certain vessels, certain
services including medical, educational, and some business services, sale
by certain cooperatives, and sale or lease, not exceeding P550,000 per
year in general, of certain goods, properties or the performance of services
in accordance with Section 109 of the Tax Reform Act of 1997 (RA 8424). |
| 23.2 |
Excise taxes are levied at
specific rates on alcohol products, automobiles, films, jewellery, minerals,
perfume, cigarettes and petroleum. Higher tax rates as P300 per proof
litre are set on imported distilled spirits, whereas spirits produced from
local material as coconut palm are taxed P8. |
| 23.7 |
Within the framework of environmental
protection under Republic Act 6969 of 1992, aircraft and watercraft used
for pleasure and recreation are subject to an energy tax. In addition,
a fee is charged by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources
for imports of hazardous material. |
3
PRICE CONTROL MEASURES
| 34.2 |
Since 1994, only five cases
of antidumping investigations resulted in the imposition of definitive
duties on terry towelling products from China and Hong Kong; China, newsprint
from Finland; magnesite-base refractory bricks from Germany; malleable
coated fittings, zinc coated fittings and sodium tripolyphosphate from
China. And during the period 1 January to 30 June 2000, antidumping
measures have been initiated against cold rolled coils and sheets from
Chinese Taipei, and electrolytic tinplates from Rep. of Korea. Antidumping
actions have been initiated on polypropylene resins from Rep. of
Korea as of 16 of August 1999. In addition, following are the status
of antidumping cases subject to review/appeal as of 21 January 2002; clear
figured glass from China, Indonesia and Malaysia, and PVC floor coverings
from Thailand. |
4
FINANCE MEASURES
| 43.2 |
Exchange
regulations are administered by the Central Bank of the Philippines. |
| 45 |
Commercial
banks are authorized to sell foreign exchange for Imports payments under
letters of credit, document against acceptance (D/A), documents against
payments (D/P), open account (O/A), and direct remittance. Only one
letter of credit may be opened before the shipment of each import transaction,
and is valid for one year. Registration of D/A and O/A imports with
the Central bank is required only for monitoring purposes. |
| 49 |
Within export incentives to
accredited exports of the Export Development Act of 1994, exporters are
free from the advanced payment of duties for importations under letters
of credit; in addition they benefit from the tax credit in the case of
importation of raw materials and inputs that are not readily available
for the production of export products, and tax credit for incremental export
revenue. |
5
AUTOMATIC LICENSING MEASURES
| 52 |
All commodities originating
from socialist and other centrally planned economy countries are
regulated. |
| 52.71 |
Imports of antibiotics are
subject to monitoring of the "grades" imported.
All food and food products
intended for import must be registered with the bureau of Food and Drugs. |
| 52.74 |
Under Republic Act 6969, the
import of chemical substances is subject to their being registered with
the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources. |
6
QUANTITY CONTROL MEASURES
Licensing
under the authority of Central Bank of the Philippines, Mabini Corner,
Vito Cruz, Malate, Metro Manila. The tariff and Customs Code of 1978
in Presidential Decree No. 1464 and the New Central Bank Act, Republic
Act No. 7653), provide the primary legal bases for the regulation of imports
in the Philippines.
| 61.43 |
Executive
Order 120 directs all government agencies to adopt countertrade as a supplemental
tool to the importation of foreign capital equipment machinery products,
and goods, for transactions values amounting to US$ 1 million and above. |
| 61.6 |
Emergency importation upon
prior certification of the NEDA (National Economic and Development Authority)
that a rice shortage exists is issued for imports of rice, semi-milled
or wholly milled, whether or not polished, glazed, parboiled or converted
under HS line 042.31-02. |
| 61.7 |
Import
licensing measures are maintained to safeguard public health, safety, security
welfare, environment and to meet international treaty obligations related
to the regulation of certain products as well as medical, scientific and
other needs. Therefore, these measures apply to the following goods:
dangerous drugs, rice, cyanide and cyanide coumpounds, chlorofluorocarbons,
penicillin and its derivatives, mercury and mercury compounds, colour reproduction
machines, various chemicals for manufacture of explosives, firearms, ammunition
and parts, pesticides including agricultural chemicals, used motor vehicles,
parts and components, used truck and automobile tyres and tubes, of all
sizes; all commodities originating from socialist and other centrally planned
economy countries; warships of all kinds, coins, banknotes and gold; and
radioactive elements.
Certain
agricultural products such as live animals, fresh and chilled beef, chilled
pork, poultry meat, goat meat, potatoes, coffee, corn and sugar require
import licences. In addition, following the abolishment of the National
Food Authority monopoly on rice imports as of 31 of December 2002, rice
importers must be licensed by the authority, and shipments are subject
to quantitative restrictions. |
| 61.71 |
Imports of fresh, frozen,
and chilled fish are restricted and require import licenses, as for meat
imports. |
| 61.73 |
An import permit is required
for the importation of planting seeds and plants and specially of garlic,
and white potato.
DA
Administrative Order (AO) No. 8, Series of 2002, Rules and Regulations
for the importation and release into the environment of plants and plant
products derived from the use of modern biotechnology, due to the need
of preventing the entry of harmful pest and diseases in the country. |
| 61.74 |
Importation
of Chlorofluorocarbons, asbestos, mercury and mercury compounds, pesticides
including agricultural chemicals, are subject to permit/clearance from
the following government agencies: DENR/EMB. |
| 62 |
Quotas
Regulations
dealing with quantitative imports (or administration of the Minimum Access
Volume, MAV) are set in Department of Agriculture Administrative Order
(AO) 8 of 1997 as amended by AO 1 of 1998. Imports quotas established
on annual basis and allocated on first-come first-served basis directly
to qualified or registered importers, consist of products such as frozen
meat of bovine animals, maize, rice, cane or beet sugar and chemically
pure sucrose. |
| 62.74 |
The release into free circulation
of substances controlled by the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete
the Ozone Layer (1987) (CFCs and Halons - alone or in mixtures) and imported
from a state that is a Party to the Protocol, is subject to quantitative
limits. |
63
Prohibitions
Imports of items specifically
listed under section 101 of the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines
are prohibited for security, health, sanitary and moral reasons.
| 63.40 |
By Order
(MO) No. 10, series of 2002, the Bureau Animal Industry (BAI) Department
of Agriculture (DA) of the Philippines has set a temporary ban on the importation
of domestic and wild birds and their products including poultry meat, day-old
chicks, eggs and semen (HS 0105, 0207, 0407, 0408) originating in the State
of California, USA, as of 18 October 2002.
Order
(MO) No. 02 Series of 2003 sets the same temporary prohibition of imports
for the same goods from the State of Nevada, USA as of 20 January 2003.
With the outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in the Netherlands,
imports of above items have been set a temporary import ban as of 4 March
2003, by Order (MO) No. 10, Series of 2003.
DA Memorandum
Order (MO) No. 2, series of 2002, temporary bans as of 20 February 2002,
the import of fishmeal from Japan, used in the production of compound feed
for cattle due to its content of meat and bone meal.
A legislation
proposing a five-year moratorium on the entry of food products containing
generically modified organisms, has been decided by the Chairman of the
Committee on Health, and confirmed on 27 March 2000 by Philippine House
of Representatives. |
| 63.71 |
Prohibition is set on import
of used clothing and rags, and any article or misbranded articles of food
or any adulterated or misbranded drug in violation of the provisions of
the "Food and Drugs Act". Are prohibited as well articles, instruments,
drugs and substance designed, intended or adapted for producing unlawful
abortion, or any printed matters giving information as how to make unlawful
abortion.
In consideration of the health
hazards posed by dioxin contamination of feeds utilised in EU countries,
an Administrative Order (AO) No. 23, series 1999, prohibits imports of
feeds, meat and meat products, milk and milk products, eggs and processed
foods containing the same products from Belgium, France, the Netherlands
and Germany. The Department of Health Administrative Order (AO) No.
4-A, s.200 and Department of Agriculture AO No. 1, s.2000 prohibit
the introduction of anti-microbial drugs, Olaquindox and Carbadox, used
in livestock and aquaculture production, and in all food producing animals. |
| 63.72 |
Ban on import permits for
livestock, meat and meat products originating in Taiwan and of live pigs,
and pork products from Germany and the Netherlands. A Memorandum
Order (AO) No. 4, Series of 2000 from the Department of Agriculture bans
the import from Japan and South Korea of Foot-and Mouth Disease susceptible
animals, their meat, meat products and by-products. With the increasing
cases of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) or Mad Cow Disease in European
Countries, the Department of Agriculture Memorandum Order (MO) No. 19,
Series of 2000 bans the importation of live cattle, sheep, goats and their
meat and meat products, bovine embryo, meat and bone-meal and other feed
ingredients derived from the said animals from the European countries. |
| 63.73 |
Import prohibition is set
on fresh fruit from Florida and Texas because of the fruit fly. |
| 63.74 |
As a party to the Montreal
Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (1987) and its following
amendments, the Philippines operate a ban on the import of controlled substances
listed in Annex A to the Protocol (chorofluorocarbons and halons) from
any State not party to this protocol. |
| 63.76 |
Import prohibition on marijuana,
opium, poppies, coca leaves, heroin or any other narcotics or synthetic
drugs, or any compound, manufactured salt, derivative or preparations thereof,
opium pipes and parts thereof of whatever material. |
| 63.78 |
Import ban is set on dynamite,
gunpowder, ammunition and other explosives, firearms and parts thereof,
toy guns and firearms, any obscene, immoral or subversive materials, devices
used in gambling or the distribution of money, cigars, cigarettes, jackpot
or pinball machines, lottery and sweepstake ticket, any articles manufactured
in whole or part of gold, silver, or other precious metals or alloys, and
imitation of stamps. |
7
MONOPOLISTIC MEASURES
| 72.2 |
Shipments
to Philippine Government agencies and imports under governmental loans
and credit should be loaded on Philippine flag vessels effective through
Central Bank circular No. 1348 of 24 August 1992.
Shipments
that cannot be loaded on national flag vessels must be accompanied by "certificates
of non-availability of Philippine flag vessels". |
8
TECHNICAL MEASURES
81
Technical regulations
| 81.10 |
The
Philippines is a signatory to the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade,
i.e. the Standards Agreement, negotiated under the Tokyo Round of multilateral
trade negotiations. The Agreement calls for open procedures in adopting
standards and sets up a review procedure for settling disputes; its main
objectives are to ensure that central government bodies comply with its
provisions.
A government
body known as the Bureau of Product Standards, is responsible for promoting
quality through product certification and quality management system certification;
it offers services to importers and manufacturers in quality mark to be
affixed to products in conjunction with national or international standards,
the adoption of the International Standards Organization 9000 series on
quality management, and ISO 14000 that apply to both the manufacturing
and services sectors. In addition it draws the attention on the compulsory
use of the modern metric system for measurement, since importation of non-metric
measuring devices, instrumentation and apparatus is not permitted without
prior clearance from the B.P.S.
The Bureau
of Product Standards has signed Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) with
Indonesia (DSN) on recognition of standardization, accreditation, certification,
metrology, technical information and training; with Japan (JET), on factory
inspection and testing, and Australia (SAQAS), on certification. |
| 81.11 |
Permitted levels of dairy
product radiation contamination have been established by the Philippine
authorities. An affidavit of undertaking
stating that the product's ingredients and additives are in compliance
with the Codex Alimentarius labelling standards, is requested for non-alcoholic
beverages and beverage mixes, candies and confectionery products, coffee,
tea, condiments, sauces and seasonings, culinary products, gelatin, dessert
preparations and dessert mixes, dairy products, dressings and spreads,
flour mixes, and starch, fish and other marine products, prepared or processed
fruits, vegetables and edible fungi, meat and poultry products, and noodles,
pastas and pastry wrappers. Through Administrative Order (AO) No.
23, series 1999, a certification requirement is set on imports of feeds,
meat and meat products, milk and milk products, eggs and processed food
containing the same products from Belgium, France, the Netherlands the
rest of the European Union countries.
An International Health Certificate
and a Sanitary and Phytosanitary Certificate are required for the importation
of fresh, chilled, frozen fish and fishery aquatic products into the Philippines,
by Fisheries Administrative Order No. 195, series of 1999.
Specific standards must be
met in the manufacture of food, drugs and cosmetics, then they receive
a Certificate of Product Registration (CPR), or a Certificate of Product
License (CPL) which is issued for foods, medical devices, cosmetics, hazardous
household substances, drugs, and diagnostic reagents. For cosmetics
that claim to be hypoallergenic and dermatologist-tested, a full report
must be provided of the clinical studies undertaken to justify the claims.
Imports of in vitro diagnostic reagents require a report of test procedures
and expected performance specifications. HIV test systems must have
an evaluation report from an internationally recognized HIV reference laboratory.
DA Administrative
Order No. 56, Series of 2000, Amendments to Administrative Order
39 Series of 2000 providing guidelines on the importation of meat and meat
products upon the standard recommendation of the Codex Alimentarius and
the Office International des Epizooties.
Da Administrative
Order (AO) No. 25, Series of 2001, issuance of a safety compliance certificate
for, and a chain of custody certification chek-list on, imports of meat
and meat products, and additional requirement governing imports of these
products to the Philippines. |
| 81.11/17 |
Health and safety standard
requirements are set on food products, electrical machinery, apparatus
and parts thereof, semi-manufactured goods, metal manufactures, chemicals,
and mineral manufactures except glass. |
| 81.12 |
The Bureau of Animal Industry
(BAI), Department of Agriculture, in a Memorandum Circular No. 10, series
of 1998, has subjected the importation of smoked pork products (HS 1602.41,
1602.42 and 1602.49 to the requirement of Veterinary Quarantine Clearance
(VCQ) for imports of the said products from Malaysia.
An International Health Certificate
and a Sanitary and Phytosanitary Certificate are required for the importation
of fresh, chilled, frozen fish and fishery aquatic products into the Philippines,
by Fisheries Administrative Order No. 195, series of 1999. |
| 81.13 |
The Bureau of Plant Industry
(BPI) of the Department of Agriculture (DA) requires phytosanitary certification
that covers fresh fruit and vegetables, live insects, seeds and nuts for
planting and consumption, spices, and medicinal herbs. A sanitary
certificate is required for imports of all agricultural products. |
| 81.17 |
An Amendment
was made to Philippine National Standard (PNS) 1892:2000 by 0:2002/ PNS
1892:2000 applied to road vehicules, safety, safety-belts and restraint
system specification; and standard 0:1 2002/ PNS 1893:2000 on Road vehicles,
safety-belts anchorages considered as compliance with the requirements
of ECE Regulation 14, ADR5, JIS D 4609 and FMVSS 210, all in force as of
May 2002.
Upon
international commission standards on non-ionizing radiation protection,
the Bureau of Health Devices and Technology has proposed rules and regulations
for the control of hazards from exposure to radio frequency radiation in
the frequency range 3 kHz to 300 GHz.
National
standard (DPNS) 1961:2000-liquefied petroleum gas regulators for domestic
use (ICS 75.200), specifies requirements for materials, construction, performance
and testing of liquefied petroleum gas pressure regulator for domestic
use with a maximum capacity of 2kg/hr. This standard does not include
regulators for outdoor use (equipped with relief device), commercial and
industrial with high pressure multi-stage application.
The Bureau
of Products Standards, has issued a national standard (DPNS) xxx:2000 that
specifies requirements for lead-acid batteries for motorcycles used for
the starting, lighting and ignition of motorcylcles, with the objective
of ensuring users safety and protection. |
| 81.19 |
Philippine
National Standard (DPNS) 63:2001, which specifies the requirements for
blended hydraulic cements for use in general concrete construction.
Standard
DPNS 1952:2002 specifying requirements for plastics piping systems for
non-pressure underground drainage and sewage, unplasticized poly(vinyl
chloride) (PVC-U).
National
standard DPNS 166.2002 specifies requirements for paper, board and pulps,
corrugating medium used in forming the fluted portions of the corrugated
fibreboard.
National
Standard (DPNS) 126:2002 applicable to paper, board and pulps, which specifies
the requirements for newsprint used generally for newspaper and other printing
and writing purposes.
National
standard (DPNS) 1993:2002 specifying the characteristics of steel of commercial,
lock-forming and structural qualities coated by continuous hot-dip aluminium/zinc
alloy coating process. The aluminium/zinc alloy composition by mass
in nominally 55% aluminium, 1.6% silicon and the balance zinc. The
product is intended for applications where the corrosion characteristics
of aluminium coupled with those of zinc are desired.
National
Standard (DPNS) 1990:2002 - hot dip zinc coated carbon steel sheets and
National Standard (DPNS) 2003:2002 - continuous hot-dip zinc/5% aluminium
alloy coated steel sheets. |
| 81.2 |
Imports are required to be
marked clearly in English, with details such as the name of the product,
the name and address of the manufacturer, the size in metric units and
the country of origin. |
| 81.2/3 |
Marking and labelling requirement
for the importation of garments, textiles and raw materials for the manufacture
of garments, and other textile products require an invoice containing name
and address of manufacture or supplier, importer or consignee, description
of the goods, quantity.
For finished textile fabrics
in rolls or in folds, the label or the required information must be stamped,
printed or woven on the selvedge or on an edge of the fabric roll.
For textile piece goods, a tag must be attached to the goods when there
is no label on the selvedge. |
| 81.3 |
With certain exceptions, all
imported or locally manufactured products must be labelled to indicate
the brand name, trademark or trade name, country of manufacture, physical
or chemical composition and active ingredients, net weight and measure;
the country of origin lettering must be permanent, and written in Pilipino,
English, or Spanish. If a consumer product is manufactured, refilled
or repacked under license from a principal, the label must state that fact.
Other information such as flammability of the product, directions for use
if necessary, warning and toxicity, the process of manufacture used, and
wattage, voltage or amperes must be indicated.
The Department of Health sets
compulsory labelling requirements for medical and pharmaceutical products
in accordance with Republic Act 7765 of 1988. Mandatory labelling
information required on pharmaceutical products consists of readable labels
in English or Pilipino, with normal vision without straining. On
the display panel of the product must appear the name of the product generic
name alone or with brand name, dosage form and strength, pharmacological
category, symbols of prescription of drugs, name and complete address of
the manufacturer and trader, net contents, formulation, indications, contraindication,
precaution and warning, mode of administration and directions for use,
batch and lot number, date of manufacture and date of expiration, registration
number and storage conditions. The same requirements are set on biological
products; in addition the labels of these products must also include the
name of any adjuvant in the product or any substance which, when administered
with an antigen, modifies the immune response to that antigen; and the
name of the species of animal or organism from which the product has been
prepared.
In addition
to pharmaceuticals general labelling requirements, a special information
regarding injections is compulsory, such as the name and quantity of all
excipients in the product, unless excepted, statement of recommended route
of administration whether intravenous, intramuscular or subcutaneous, words
such "single use" or "single dose".
Labels for food products must
contain the name and true nature of the food, list of ingredient in decreasing
order of proportion, net contents and or drained weight, name and
address of manufacturer, packer and or distributor, lot identification
code and manufacturing and expiration dates. Food supplements must
be labelled with the name and quantity of the fortifying ingredients of
the products composition in percentages, and the statements such as "Food
Supplement" and "no Approved therapeutic Claim" must appear on the label.
Bottled drinking water must be labelled "Spring Water", "Mineral Water",
"Purified Water", "Distilled Water" or Carbonated Water" as appropriate,
with the geographic location of the source, total dissolved solids expressed
as mg/L or ppm, and composition indicating the levels of bicarbonates,
calcium, magnesium, chloride, and sulfate. |
| 81.5 |
Imports of used vessels are
subject to quality checking.
All import shipments are subject
to inspection and testing by the bureau of Philippine Standards, prior
to their release from customs.
Inspection
for standard compliance applies to a number of products such as cosmetics,
medical equipment, lighting fixtures, electrical wires and cables, cement,
pneumatic tires, sanitary wares, and household appliances.
Food
and drug products, cosmetics are liable to certificate of analysis and
a certificate of brand name clearance.
Since
27 of September 2000, a veterinary quarantine clearance issued by the Bureau
of Animal Industry is required for meat imports, and is valid for 30 to
60 days depending on the origin of the shipments; the imports must not
be dated earlier than the date of issurance of the VQC.
Under
administrative Order that took effect on 31 of October 1999, quarantine
certificate issued by the bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources is
required for fish and fishery products imports.
Quarantine
regulations or veterinary quarantine clearance are required for the importation
of fish and fishery products, kangaroo meat from Australia, pork products
(pork belly, pork trimmings, pork legs, and pork fat from swine) from Indonesia
for the purpose of further processing, from Singapore, heat treated egg-based
products from India, and smoked pork products from Malaysia.
Quarantine
and inspection requirements for the importation of garlic cloves, white
potatoes and onions, to prevent pest risk.
|
| 81.9 |
A certificate
of free sale is required for imports of in vitro diagnostic reagents, drugs,
and cosmetics. |
| 82 |
The Bureau of Customs (BOC)
took over all customs clearance functions through a Customs Administrative
Order (No.2-2000 of 24 March 2000 after the expiration of the SGS, Société
Générale de Surveillance contract expiration; it then established
a "Super Green Lane (SGL), an advance processing mode of clearing import
shipments. |
|