The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) requires all energy consuming products (ECPs) to comply with minimum energy performance (MEP) standards as the government strictly implements energy conservation measures in the country.
This is contained in the DTI Bureau of Philippine Standards’ Department Administrative Order (DAO) 22-01, series of 2022 providing the new technical regulation prescribing the mandatory product certification of Energy Consuming Products (ECPs). The said DAO took effect on March 5, 2022, fifteen days after its publication on February 18.
“This technical regulation supports the implementation of Republic Act No. 11285 or the “Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act” mandating the DTI, through the BPS, in consultation with the DOE, to require manufacturers, importers, and dealers to comply with the Minimum Energy Performance (MEP) standards, and to display the energy label and the energy efficiency label on the product packaging for the reference of the consumers,” said DTI Consumer Protection Group (CPG) Undersecretary Ruth B. Castelo.
The DAO also ensures that all energy consuming products being utilized by Filipino consumers are safe, of quality, and compliant to the latest safety and performance requirements prescribed by both the BPS and the Department of Energy, Castelo added.
ECPs refer to those products that utilize any form of energy (i.e., electricity, petroleum products, renewable energy, etc.) for specific use. The DAO aims to strictly ensure that ECPs to be imported, manufactured, distributed or sold in the Philippines meet the safety and performance requirements specified therein.
It covers room air conditioners (RAC), refrigerators, television sets, selfballasted compact fluorescent lamps (CFL), double-capped fluorescent lamps (DCFL), single-capped fluorescent lamps (SCFL), pre-heat/magnetic ballasts, electronic ballasts, and self-ballasted LED lamps (SBLL), whether locally manufactured or imported. The said products are already included in the BPS mandatory certification for the safety requirement. But with this DAO, the BPS shall now require the compliance of the said products to both the safety and performance requirements as per applicable Philippine National Standards (PNS).
For locally-manufactured ECPs, manufacturers shall apply for Philippine Standard (PS) Certification Mark License in accordance with the requirements of DAO 4:2008, its implementing rules and regulations, and DAO 18-03:2018 (for RAC, refrigerators, and television sets) and DAO 18-02:2018 (for SBLL) and their future amendments.
Meanwhile, importers shall apply for Import Commodity Clearance (ICC), in accordance with the requirements of DAO 5:2008, its implementing rules and regulations, and DAO 18-03:2018 (for RAC, refrigerators, and television sets) and DAO 18-02:2018 (for SBLL) and their future amendments.
The DAO also expanded the scope of implementation for products covered under mandatory certification and shall entail the inclusion of products in the BPS List under mandatory certification.
The PS License or ICC Certificate shall only be issued upon determination of compliance of the ECPs to the safety and performance requirements prescribed by DAO 22-01:2022.
To provide local manufacturers and importers ample time to comply with the certification requirements for all covered ECPs, market monitoring and enforcement shall commence on September 5, 2023, 18 months from the effectivity of DAO 22-01:2022.
All non-compliant products by that time shall be subject to Notice of Violation shall be issued but retailers/distributors shall only be advised to pullout the items from the selling area for first offense.
For second offense onwards, Notice of Violation shall be issued subject to the regular adjudication process.