
The Philippine Accreditation Bureau—Management System Accreditation Division (PAB-MSAD) recently conducted a two-day onsite orientation on the New Organic Standards to familiarize its personnel with the revisions and updates to the organic agriculture and organic product-related standards.
20 January 2025 – Day 1: Organic Animal Production
Engr. Ma. Juanita P. Carpio, Division Chief of the MSAD led the activity, setting the tone for the following productive sessions. In her opening remarks, Engr. Carpio thanked the Department of Agricuture-Bureau of Agricultural and Fisheries Standards (DA-BAFS) for accepting the invitation. “This orientation is a valuable opportunity for everyone to deepen their knowledge about the standards related to organic products. I encourage you to ask questions and engage actively,” she stated. The orientation is designed not only to inform but also to empower assessors with the tools they need to effectively carry out their roles.
The first day of the orientation focused on the Philippine National Standards (PNS) relevant to Organic Animal Production and covered a range of topics including the PNS/BAFS 370-2023 Organic Poultry – Code of Practice, PNS/BAFS 370-2023 Organic Swine – Code of Practice, and PNS/BAFS 383-2024 Organic Ruminants – Code of Practice. Mr. Vicente D. Limsan, Jr. (DA-BAFS) is the resource person for these topics. The session was highly interactive with the attendees actively engaging in discussions and posing questions. This hands-on approach ensured that the participants fully grasped the intricacies of the topic.

23 January 2025 – Day 2: Organic Product Standards
The second day of the webinar delved into the PNS on Organic Product-Related Standards, the topics covered included PNS/BAFS 183:2023 Organic Soil Amendments and Plant Supplements, PNS on the Production of Organic Soil Amendments – Code of Practice presented by Mr. Gerald Camagay (DA-BAFS), and PNS/BAFS 182:2023 Organic Bio-control Agents presented by Mr. Raffy Reydado (DA-BAFS) together with them was Ms. Aubrey Ramos from BAFS-Technical Service Division, providing the participants with a comprehensive understanding of the guidelines and regulations governing organic products in the Philippines. The discussions were highly interactive with the participants actively contributing their insights and experiences.
Toward the end of the activity, PAB’s Assistant Director Ernani M. Dionisio awarded the esteemed resource persons a certificate of appreciation recognizing their invaluable contributions to the orientation’s success. Engr. Carpio joined him in this gesture, further emphasizing the collaborative spirit that underpins PAB’s efforts to support the development of the organic industry through accreditation of organic product certification bodies.

This two-day webinar was a crucial step in capacitating the PAB-MSAD personnel, equipping them with the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively conduct assessments and witness audits for organic product certification. Disseminating this invaluable information to promote sustainable and responsible practices in the organic agriculture sector, ensures that both producers and consumers benefit from the highest standards of quality and safety.
Overall, accreditation is crucial in ensuring the integrity and credibility of organic agriculture and production. It involves rigorous inspections and evaluations by accredited certification bodies to verify adherence to organic standards and regulations. PAB grants accreditation to Certification Bodies after thoroughly reviewing their competence and adherence to protocols. Accreditation provides consumers with confidence that organic claims are backed by a rigorous verification process, ultimately fostering consumer trust and supporting the sustainability and environmental objectives of organic culture.
For more information about PAB, please visit our website at www.dti.gov.ph/pab.
Release Date: 03 February 2025.