PAB Division Chief Leads International Peer Evaluation of U.S. Accreditation Body, Witness Assessment in Turkey

Team Leader Engr. Estrella P. Abejero of the DTI-PAB (center) poses with (from left to right) Funda Arslan (NAC Accreditation Officer), Gulcin Cerit (NAC Quality Manager and Program Manager), Zeynep Naz Ayvaz (NAC Operations Manager), Anand Deep Gupta (APAC Team Member, NABCB – India), and Sirorat Thonhamkaew (APAC Team Member, NSC – Thailand). The photo was taken during the office assessment of NAC National Accreditation Center, LLC, held in Miami, Florida.

The Philippine Accreditation Bureau (PAB) continues to strengthen its global credibility through the active participation of its experts in international peer evaluations.

Promotion and Documentation Division Chief Engr. Estrella P. Abejero, an APAC-trained and qualified Lead Evaluator, recently served as Team Leader for the Asia Pacific Accreditation Cooperation (APAC) Peer Evaluation of the National Accreditation Center (NAC-USA). The evaluation included a witness assessment of EMCRF Test Laboratuvarlari Ltd. STI, an applicant laboratory under ISO/IEC 17025:2017, in Izmir, Turkey on April 7–8, 2025, followed by an office and system assessment in Doral, Florida, USA (May 26–29, 2025).

From left to right: Engr. Hüseyin Öztürk (NAC Lead Assessor), Salih Ayvaz (NAC President), Anand Deep Gupta (Provisional Peer Evaluator, NABCB – India), Engr. Estrella P. Abejero (DTI-Philippine Accreditation Bureau), Dr. Serap Köktas Koca (NAC Program Manager and Lead Assessor), and Gulcin Cerit (NAC Quality Manager and Program Manager) during the witness assessment of EMCRF Test Laboratuvarlari Ltd. STI in Izmir, Turkey, held on April 7–8, 2025 as part of the APAC peer evaluation of NAC National Accreditation Center, LLC.

Although NAC is headquartered in the United States, the witnessed assessment took place in Turkey—a demonstration of the Cross-Frontier Accreditation approach under the APAC Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA). Engr. Abejero was joined by peer evaluators from India and Thailand, underscoring APAC's commitment to multilateral oversight and international collaboration.

Her designation as Team Leader by the APAC MRA Management Committee reaffirms the global accreditation community’s trust in PAB’s technical competence. It also highlights the continued confidence of international authorities such as the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) in the Philippines’ role in global quality infrastructure.

Peer evaluations are essential in confirming that accreditation bodies operate with competence and impartiality. Witness assessments, like the one in Turkey, complement office-based reviews by providing firsthand verification of how accredited Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs) are evaluated on-site.

PAB’s participation reflects its ongoing dedication to strengthening international linkages, upholding quality assurance, and supporting national capability-building. As a signatory to the APAC MRA, PAB actively contributes to the global recognition of test results and certifications—facilitating trade and safeguarding consumer trust worldwide.

For more updates on PAB’s international engagements and quality initiatives, visit https://www.dti.gov.ph/pab/pab-news/.

Release Date: 23 June 2025.

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