The Philippine National Standard
The Philippine National Standard for Organic Agriculture was initially constructed by the Organic Certification Center of the Philippines (OCCP) and was espoused by the Department of Agriculture through the Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Product Standards (BAFPS) in 2003. The BAFPS’ technical council on crops and livestock put through these organic agriculture standards to a sequence of technical evaluations and public discourse. After each technical analysis, the corresponding revision was made particularly, in the transformation, crop production and livestock section of the guidelines.
In accord with the progress of the organic industry worldwide, the revision of the PNS OA was initiated in the year 2016 through the creation of a technical working group composed of affiliates coming from the government agencies, academe, certification bodies, and private sector. Correspondingly, communal deliberative meetings were held in the National Capital Region (NCR), Davao, and Iloilo with an intent of producing pronouncements from the various shareholder of the organic industry. The revision of the PNS OA last 2016 was tackled to attain uniformity with the ASEAN Standard for Organic Agriculture (ASOA).
These standards for organic agriculture have been prepared for providing a uniform approach to the requirements, which is the basis of conversion, crop production, animal production, beekeeping, processing, special products, labeling and consumer information, traceability, and requirements for the inclusion of substances for organic production. The different scopes should be treated as one standard on organic agriculture with the various parts complementing each other.
The use of the Philippine Standard Certification Mark is governed by the provisions of Department Administrative Order No. 01 series of 1997 – Revised Rules and Regulations Concerning the Philippine Standard (PS) Quality and Safety Certification Mark Scheme by the Bureau of Product Standards. This mark on a product/container is an assurance by the manufacturer or producer that the product conforms with the requirements of a Philippine standard. Details of conditions under which a license to use the PS Certification Mark may be granted and can be obtained from the Bureau of Product Standards, Department of Trade and Industry, 361 Sen. Gil J. Puyat Avenue, Makati City.
The Philippine National Standard for Organic Agriculture document can be found through this link http://organic.da.gov.ph/images/downloadables/PNS/PNS-Organic-Agriculture-2016-final.pdf
Photo Sources:
http://fnbreport.ph/features/agriculture/how-negros-paved-the-way-for-organic-agriculture-gabyn-20180511/
http://organic.da.gov.ph/
