The government issued a statement on Monday, Nov. 29, reminding e-commerce platforms to ensure that all products under the mandatory certification of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) that are offered for sale in their sites should bear the Philippine Standard (PS) mark or the Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) sticker.
The call was prompted by the increasing reports and complaints received by the DTI on the influx of uncertified products being sold online.
Republic Act (RA) No. 4109 or the Standards Law and RA No. 7394 or the Consumer Act of the Philippines mandate the Department of Trade and Industry-Bureau of Philippine Standards (DTI-BPS) to implement the Philippine Standard (PS) Quality and/or Safety Certification Mark Licensing Scheme and the Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) Certification Scheme.
Under these certification schemes, mandatory products are not allowed to be distributed in the Philippine market without the necessary PS mark or ICC sticker. Manufacturers and importers of these products are required to secure the PS License or the ICC certificate, respectively, prior to selling or distribution of their products in the country.
The present list contains 87 products under the mandatory certification schemes which includes household appliances such as:
- Air conditioners, electric fans, and television sets;
- Lighting and wiring devices such as self-ballasted LED lamps, circuit breakers, PVC electrical tapes, and extension cord sets;
- Steel products such as deformed steel bars and equal-leg steel angle bars;
- Plastic pipes and ceramic products such as pipes for potable water supply and sanitary wares;
- Cement and plywood;
- Chemical products; and
- Automotive related products such as pneumatic tires, automotive safety glass, seat belts, and child restraint systems (CRS).
The complete list of products may be accessed through the BPS Standards and Conformance Portal.
Online shopping platforms fall within the ambit of Section 3.5 of the DTI’s Department Administrative Order (DAO) No. 2, Series of 2007, which provides that: “Importers, distributors, wholesalers, retailers and those who offer for sale a product covered by mandatory product certification shall sell, or offer for sale only such products that complied with the requisite Philippine National Standard and with the required PS Mark, or with a valid ICC in the case of imported products.”
“We remind online sellers and operators of e-commerce platforms in the country to ensure compliance with the requirements of the aforementioned laws, rules, and regulations. Failure to comply with the requirements set forth in relevant issuances shall constrain the DTI to undertake necessary legal action against these sellers,” warned DTI undersecretary Ruth B. Castelo.
The DTI-BPS is the National Standards Body authorized to promulgate Philippine National Standards (PNS). PNS are voluntary in nature and may be used as reference by any interested parties. The conformance to PNS or parts thereof becomes mandatory only when the same is used as reference in Technical Regulations issued by regulatory authorities such as the DTI.
