DA-10 promotes compliance with agri-fisheries machinery regulations via PTO Issuance

 

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-10) continuous its efforts to streamline compliance with regulatory standards of the agricultural and fisheries machinery through the issuance of Permit to Operate (PTO) to Manufacturers, Fabricators, Assemblers, Distributors, Dealers, Importers, and Exporters (MFADDIEs).

In an episode of Usapang Agrikultura aired via Radyo Pilipinas DXIM on December 11, Engr. Liezel D. Sios-e, head of the Accreditation and Registration Unit of the DA-10’s Regional Agricultural Engineering Division (RAED), discussed the “Guidelines on the Registration and Issuance of PTOs for Agricultural and Fisheries Machinery MFADDIEs”.

Pursuant to sections 20 and 24 of Republic Act No. 10601, otherwise known as the Agricultural and Fisheries Mechanization (AFMech) Law, the agency’s Bureau of Agricultural and Fisheries Engineering (BAFE) issued DA Department Circular No. 04, Series of 2019, the said discussion, to implement the provisions of the said Act.

Engr. Sios-e said that a PTO with a five-year validity, is a privilege granted to MFADDIEs that have successfully met the evaluation, inspection, and review standards set by the BAFE and RAED, which is a mandatory requirement in government procurement with the DA. Thus, PTO holders are allowed to manufacture, fabricate, assemble, distribute, deal, import, and export agri-fisheries machinery.

She emphasized that the issuance of PTOs is vital, generally, to regulate businesses, ensure fair trade practices, and to prevent misconduct within the agri machinery industry, and safeguard consumer interests by ensuring good and quality agri-fisheries machinery as well.

A nonrefundable fee of PhP6k is required for both the initial application and renewal of a PTO.

Interested applicants must submit to RAED the duly accomplished Application and Product Listing forms, valid Business/Mayor’s Permit, a location map of the establishment, brochures and technical specifications of product lines, and official receipt of the application fee. Additionally, photocopy of registration certificate must be provided depending on the type of business structure of an applicant.

To expedite the process, the unit head advised applicants to ensure all required documents are complete before submission. Regional applicants should transact with their respective RAED offices, while those from the National Capital Region (NCR) should directly file at the BAFE. Engr. Sios-e added that the RAED will conduct an initial review of the applications to verify the completeness of the submitted documents and shall endorse only the complete applications to BAFE. The BAFE, then, shall review the veracity and authenticity of the documents submitted.

To ensure compliance, a joint inspection team composed of representatives from RAED and BAFE will conduct an on-site validation and evaluation to check the facilities and products declared by an MFADDIE, she detailed.

Following the thorough evaluation, verification, inspection, and approval process, and upon payment of the necessary fees, the BAFE will issue the PTO. Post-issuance monitoring of PTO holders, however, will be conducted by BAFE or RAED at any time, with or without prior notice, to establish ongoing compliance with the terms and conditions of the permit, she furthered.

As of October 1, 2024, 24 companies in Northern Mindanao have been granted PTOs according to the national registry of MFADDIEs by BAFE.# (BJCE)

For more information, tune in to Usapang Agrikultura via Facebook live.
For the complete list of requirements, refer to the BAFE Guidelines and Manuals.