FAQ

• Making quality consciousness a way of life for all Filipinos will result in products and services that meet and even surpass standards, i.e. excellent products and services.
• A national quality policy will ensure products and services produced in the Philippines are free from defects and meet standards that satisfy specific customer or user requirements.
• Such policy will promote better quality of life for citizens, protect consumers and the environment, and make products and services more competitive.

PhilMSTQ networks with various stakeholders, including technical experts, members of the academe, and policymakers, to promote a National Quality Infrastructure (NQI) in the Philippines. We have held training courses on metrology, standards, and testing.

It is a highly integrated network of people, systems, and organizations involved in the research, definition, development, and promotion of quality goods, services, and processes. (Source: Trinidad and Tobago Bureau of Standards)

An NQI ensures the quality and safety of products, protects consumers and the environment, boosts the competitiveness of industries, and allows countries to access international markets.

There are three basic components: metrology, standards, and accreditation. Accreditation includes certification, inspection, and testing.

Metrology comes from the Greek words metron (“measure”) and logos (“study”). It is the science of measurement.

Every day of our lives, we make measurements. Think how often you check the time on your watch, weigh fruits and vegetables at the market, or glance at your car’s speedometer.

Correct measurements are of vital importance to us all. As consumers, we need to know that we are getting our money’s worth every time we buy a kilo of rice or a liter of gasoline. When we consult a doctor, we need to have faith in his or her ability to make an accurate diagnosis. Reliable measurements are critical in both situations.

We all depend on “an intricate network of services, suppliers, and communications that rely on metrology for their efficient operation,” states the Bureau of Weights and Measures.

Here are two examples:

• Satellite navigation systems and international time correlation make accurate location possible—allowing the networking of computer systems around the world, and permitting aircraft to land in poor visibility.
• The economic success of nations depends upon the ability to manufacture and trade precisely made and tested products and components.

A standard is a widely adopted specification, technical recommendation, or similar document.
(Source: International Bureau of Weights and Measures)

Here are two examples of standards:

• Good Manufacturing Practices, which ensure that products are consistently produced and controlled according to quality standards appropriate to their intended use and as required by the product specification; and
• ISO 22000, which addresses food safety management.

Standards provide a reliable basis for people to share the same expectations about a product or service.

Standards result in the following benefits:

• Products that are compatible and configured to work perfectly, without any action by the user. Standards allow bankcards and credit cards to fit into all automatic teller machines and be used worldwide; screws fit into screw nuts worldwide. Having standards save consumers time and money and minimize waste, errors, and costs for companies.
• Products and services that are safe, reliable, and of good quality. When consumers buy food products, like longganisa (sausages) and tocino (cured meat), that meet ISO 22000 standards, they are assured that they are buying safe food. When they buy toys that meet safety standards, they can be sure that the toys are free from toxic substances that can harm their children.
• The protection of the environment and human health. International standards on air, water, and soil quality and on emissions of gases and radiation contribute to efforts to preserve the environment and the health of citizens.
• The facilitation of free and fair global trade. Standards that are adopted worldwide ensure that requirements for imports and exports are the same the world over. They ease the movement of goods, services, and technologies from country to country.

The difference lies in compliance. While conformity with standards is voluntary, technical regulations are by nature mandatory.

It is the formal recognition by an independent body, generally known as an accreditation body, that a certification body is capable of carrying out certification. Accreditation adds another level of confidence, as “accredited” means the certification body has been independently checked to make sure it operates according to international standards. (Source: International Organization for Standardization)

Accreditation acknowledges that an organization—such as a testing and calibration laboratory or a certification body—has a level of organizational competence that is comparable to other similar organizations that are accredited by the same accrediting body. Accreditation provides customers and regulatory authorities the added confidence in the certificates and reports issued by these organizations.

For a company, using an accredited organization boosts the company’s image and status with its customers and stakeholders. It assures these publics that the company’s products and services have been tested and certified by a reliable organization.

For regulators, the accreditation of organization by an independent third party gives them greater confidence and trust in the services provided by the organization.

Below is an excerpt from “Study on National Quality Infrastructure and Government Regulatory Practices” by Cirila S. Botor and Jon Echanove.

Study Finding Recommendation

1. The National Quality Infrastructure (NQI) of the country is fragmented. Some elements of the minimum components of an NQI—metrology, standards and standardization, and accreditation—exist, but they are inadequate. All laws related to the components of an NQI need to be reviewed and revised.
2. These elements do not work together as a system. They fail to boost industry competitiveness and to improve the efficiency of regulators in ensuring consumer protection. All concerned stakeholders need to formulate a national policy and strategy on NQI.
3. Stakeholders in both the public and private sectors have a low awareness of the benefits of having an NQI. Programs to educate and to dialogue with all stakeholders need to be undertaken. These programs will help government bodies make better use of resources and will spur on industry members to play a role in building an NQI.
4. Government bodies tasked with metrology, standards and standardization, and accreditation focus on ensuring that products are safe for consumers. Focusing on consumer protection is not enough. These bodies also need to address the need for products that are of better quality. Such products will be more competitive locally and internationally.

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We welcome partners who share our desire to build a culture of quality in the Philippines. Kindly drop us a line at info@philmstq.org