Government tightens rules on food imports

MANILA, Philippines – The government will implement a stricter implementation procedure for imported food products to protect consumers from “unhealthy” imported products that has been circulating in the local market.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) regulates critical consumer products that greatly affect life, property and health. Therefore, DTI Bureau of Product Standards (BPS) operates a Product Certification Scheme to assure consumers that critical products, sold in the market are safe and reliable.

The Bureau requires manufacturers and importers of products under mandatory certification to apply for the PS License or Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) certificate, and have their products inspected and tested based on relevant Philippine National Standard (PNS), prior its sale and distribution in the market. 

“The Department will ensure that all products under mandatory certification will undergo product testing prior to the issuance of ICC certificates, and that no critical product will be distributed in the local market without the ICC sticker,” DTI-BPS Director Victorio Mario Dimagiba said.

He said the move was made in order to address irregularities such as forgery, declaration of wrong warehouse address, no product sampling, faking of ICC certificates, pseudo importers, among other indiscretions.