THE world will celebrate World Standards Day on October 14, but the country observed it much earlier as the 33rd National Standards Week was celebrated from October 8  to 14.

World Standards Day is an annual celebration of all member-institutes of the three apex international standardization bodies, namely, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), and the International Telecommunications Union (ITU).  It recognizes the efforts of standardization experts worldwide.

This year’s World Standards Day theme, “Standards and the Citizen: Contributing to Society,” aptly describes the work of standards in the lives of consumers.  Standards have been instrumental in making products safe and durable. With standards, consumers can expect better products in the market. 

In the country, the government, through the Department of Trade and Industry–Bureau of Product Standards (DTI-BPS), together with partner industries, craft high criteria in the manufacture of products and goods that enter the market.

By embarking on the Product Standards/Import Commodity Clearance (PS/ICC) program, products under mandatory compliance must pass rigid tests and conform to product specifications set by the industry.  These tests and specifications conform to international criteria being used by developed countries.  This assures consumers that a product with the PS/ICC mark has passed  global standards, thus gaining world-class status.

To get the PS license, local goods must conform to product specifications and undergo rigid tests on durability and safety.  DTI-accredited laboratories conduct these tests and manufacturers that pass the test are given the PS seal, which is incorporated in the label of their products. 

In the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), there is a plan to create an Asean Mark, which aims to increase the exchange of goods among member-countries.  Harmonizing the standards of these countries is a big task, but by putting in place a common standard for goods, consumers gain access to more products as more goods from Asean are allowed to enter the country unimpeded.

It means more quality products to choose from.  More products mean increased product competition, and thus better pricing, to the advantage of consumers.

At present the government mandates 55 products that must have the PS marks.  Among these are chemical and consumer products such as brake fluids, portable fire extinguishers, inner tubes for pneumatic tires, lead-acid storage batteries, lighters, LPG cylinders, safety matches, medical- grade oxygen, monobloc chairs/stools, pneumatic tires, seat belts and safety glass for automotive application.

PS marks are needed for electrical products such as air conditioners, ballast for tubular fluorescent lamps, AC-supplied electronic ballasts, self-ballasted lamps/compact fluorescent lamps, Christmas lights, circuit breakers, circular fluorescent lamps, electric fans, electric blenders, electric toasters, flat irons, flexible cords (PVC), fluorescent lamps (linear double cap), fuseholders, fuses, incandescent lamps, lampholders (Edison Screw), lampholders for tubular fluorescent lamps and starter holders, microwave ovens, fluorescent lamp starters/glow starters, metal boxes for electrical use, plugs, socket-outlets, PVC electrical tapes, refrigerators, rice cookers/airpots, coffeemakers, switches for household and similar fixed-electrical installations, knife switches, snap switches, television sets, wires and cables, and washing machines.

Mechanical/building and construction materials which require PS marks are black iron (BI) and galvanized iron (GI) steel pipes, Portland cement, Pozzolan cement, deformed steel bars, flat glass, polybutylene (PB) pipes, polyethelene (PE) pipes for potable water supply, unplasticized polyvinyl chloride (uPVC) pipes for potable water supply, PVC rigid electrical conduit, PVC-U pipes for drain waste and vents, plywood, rerolled steel bars, steel sheets and coils, wire nails, sanitary ware and steel wires.

It is worthwhile mentioning these products because only a few people know all these goods must have the PS mark. It is also for this reason that the government continues to inform consumers to look for the PS mark in the purchase of goods.  The government also warns consumers of the hazard of buying substandard goods.

Yesterday, the Bureau of Product Standards destroyed more than P2.3 million worth of substandard Christmas lights and compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) in Marulas, Valenzuela.

The BPS Enforcement Team seized these substandard products during one of its monitoring and enforcement activities in Valenzuela in September.

Although symbolic, the destruction of uncertified products brings the message that substandard goods have no place in the local market.

Today the DTI, in cooperation with the Philippine Product Safety and Quality Foundation, Inc. (PPSQFI), launched the 7th Consumer Trade Fair at the Megatrade Hall 2, SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City. The fair showcases consumer-friendly and world-class products from companies with the PS licenses and ICC.

On exhibit are goods with appropriate patents, trademarks and copyrights, as well as services that are certified, recognized and accredited by DTI and other government agencies.

On Monday the Standards and Conformance Portal was also launched to provide an online facility that offers easy access to a wide range of information on standards, regulations, and conformity-assessment activities in the Philippines and other World Trade Organization (WTO) member countries.

The virtual information center houses the Philippine National Standards, WTO Technical Barriers to Trade Notifications  and other trade-related technical regulations of the Philippines as well as the US, Japan, China, Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Europe. The portal enables stakeholders to give comments/inputs on draft standards and proposed regulations issued by WTO member-countries.

Product standards are technical, but they can easily be understood.  The most important thing to remember is that standards are safeguards against  fake products because it is a seal of quality manufacture.  Second is that it is a seal for safety.

Next, there are many goods under the product standards program and consumers must be on the lookout for the seal when procuring products.  Further, the government and the industry sector are working to put in place standards to meet the needs of consumers.  Lastly, the standards program can only succeed if consumers patronize goods with PS marks.

ALIGNED with its thrust of expanding its business and operations outside of Thailand, PTT Philippines Corp. (PTTPC) has offered to the Philippine National Oil Co. (PNOC) to come up with a feasibility study on developing a gas pipeline from Batangas to Manila (BatMan-1) and Bataan to Manila (BatMan-2).

THE Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) has already exceeded its full-year goal of generating P100 billion in fresh investments in 2007 as it approved P109 billion worth of new projects after the first three quarters of the year.

THE National Development Co. (NDC) will float P4.6 billion worth of bonds on behalf of the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) to partly finance the construction of the North Extension Project worth P6.27 billion.

THE Philippines has imposed a temporary ban on the entry of chicken products, as well as domestic and wild birds and other poultry products from Saskatchewan, Canada, following reports of an avian influenza (AI) outbreak there.

IF you can’t lick them, crack them.

Honda Philippines Inc. (HPI), in coordination with its principal Honda Motor Co. Ltd. (HMC), destroyed on Wednesday 22 fake Honda general-purpose engines at the De La Salle University, Bacolod premises, in place of a motion to withdraw seized articles for destruction it filed before the Regional Trial Court of Bacolod City in June.

DAVAO CITY—Local chief executives in Mindanao will meet their counterparts in the four-nation East Asean Growth Area (Eaga)  to formalize their role in the subregional grouping and to ask their chief ministers or presidents to allow them to forge direct-trade arrangements.

THE world will celebrate World Standards Day on October 14, but the country observed it much earlier as the 33rd National Standards Week was celebrated from October 8  to 14.