Draft as of 14 Nov 2023   
 
 [Date stamp here]  
ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER  
No. ____ ____ 
 
 
SUBJECT     : Adoption of the Philippine National Standards (PNS)  and its 
Recommended Code of Practices (RCP) for  Processed  Food Products as 
Technical Regulation  
 
 
I. BACKGROUND  
 
The Food and Drug Administration is mandated by Article IV Section 9 of the  Republic 
Act (RA) No. 10611  in establishing food safety standard through the basis of science, risk 
analysis, scientific advice from expert body/bodies, standards of other countries, existing 
Philippine National Standards (PNS) and the standards of the Codex Alimentarius 
Commission (Codex).  
 
The PNS and its Recommended Code of Practice for processed products  have been issued  
by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in partnership with other concerned agencies 
through  Technical Working Groups (TWG s) comprised of experts from various 
institutions  that developed the draft standards . The PNS and RCP are used as reference for 
the quality and safety standards for the product and its processing procedure.  
 
Consistent with the FDA ’s mandate to ensure  safe and quality food products  as prescribed  
in RA No. 9711 or the FDA  Act of 2009 and its Implementing Rules and Regulations 
(IRR), as well as provisions stated in RA No. 10611 or the Food Safety Act of 2013 and 
its IRR, this Administrative Order is hereby issued to utilize the quality and safety 
standards developed for the PNS  processed food  products to serve as a guide to all food 
business operators (FBOs)  and the general public  for the standards of specific food 
products that are to be sold in the local market; and to demonstrate compliance to food 
safety and quality prior to issuance of FDA authorizations  and ultimately protect consumer 
interest.  
 
Hence, the adoption of PNS as technical regulation is deemed imperative.  
 
II. OBJECTIVE  
 
This Order  aims to  adopt PNS of processed  food products as part of FDA technical 
regulations.  Specifically, this Order aims : 
 
A. To adopt the standards of identity of the applicable processed products ; and  
B. To adopt the recommended code of practice for the manufacture of the applicable 
products.  
 
 
    
 
III. SCOPE  
 
This shall cover all imported and locally manufactured processed food products  under the 
jurisdiction of the FDA.  
 
IV.  DEFINITION OF TERMS  
 
For the purpose of implementing this Order, the following terms shall be defined as 
follows:  
 
A. Authorization refers to the permission embodied in a document granted by a 
regulatory agency to a natural or juridical person who has submitted an application for 
a food business operation and may take the form of a permit, license, certificate of 
registration , and certificate of compliance or exemption or any similar document.  
 
B. Code of Practice  refers  to a document stating the minimum standard for the 
processing and handling of a specific commodity.  
 
C. Codex Alimentarius  refers to the collection of international standards, guidelines and 
codes of practice to protect the health of consumers and ensure fair practices in the 
food trade . 
 
D. Food Standard refers to a regulatory guideline that defines the identity of a given 
food product (i.e. its name and the ingredients used for its preparation) and specifies 
the minimum quality factors and, when necessary, the required fill of container. It may 
also inclu de specific labeling requirements other than or in addition to the labeling 
requirements generally applicable to all p rocessed foods.  
 
E. Philippine National Standard  refers to a document stating the minimum standard for 
a specific commodity established to help industries produce quality products, raise 
productivity, protect consumers, and facilitate trade.   
 
F. Processed Food refers to the product, resulting from the application of physical, 
chemical , or biological processes to a “primary food commodity” intended for direct 
sale to the consumer, for direct use as an ingredient in the manufacture of food or for 
further processing . 
 
G. Technical Regulation  refers to the legal instrument that gives effect to a government 
policy intervention and inclu des licensing, compliance to standards or any other 
statutory and regulatory requirements n ecessary to carry out activity . 
 
V. GENERAL GUIDELINES  
 
A. The PNS and RCP of processed food products  finalized by the FDA and/or DA -BAFS 
and promulgated  by the Bureau of Philippine Standards , such as but not limited to  
Annex A , shall be adopted as technical regulation.  
 
B. Compliance with these standards shall be made mandatory and shall be a requirement 
prior to approval of registration application.  
    
 
C. In the absence of a Philippine National Standard  for a specific processed food , the 
Codex Alimentarius’s  latest commodit y standard s shall be adopted , except when these 
conflict with  what is necessary to protect consumers and scientific justification exist s 
for the action taken.  
 
D. All other succeeding approved, amended or revised PNS -FDA of processed food 
products that will be developed by the FDA - Center for Food Regulation and Research 
(CFRR) shall be automatically adopted as technical regulations.  
 
 
VI. SPECIFIC GUIDELINES  
 
A. The processed food product may only be labeled as prescribed in the standard of 
identity if it conforms to the specifications indicated in the PNS prior to its 
manufacture with the intention of sale, offering for sale, promotion, advertisement, or 
donation . 
 
B. Specifications of the product complying with the standard shall be declared in the data 
entry in applications for registration of both locally produced and imported processed 
food products.  
 
C. A recent  (within twelve months from the date of application)  Certificate of Analysis 
(COA)  for medium and high risk processed food products shall be submitted as part 
of the registration requirements for both local and imported processed food products.  
 
D. All processed food products shall conform to the microbiological parameters based 
on the FDA Circular No. 2022 -012 entitled “Revised Guidelines for the Assessment 
of Microbiological Quality of Processed Foods” or its latest revision.  
 
E. The registration process and requirements shall be in accordance with Administrative 
Order 2014 -0029 and FDA Circular 2020 -033, and their latest revisions.   
 
F. The labeling shall be in accordance with Administrative Order No. 2014 -0030 and its 
latest revisions.  
 
 
VIII.  TRANSITORY PROVISION  
 
The following transitory provision shall be provid ed for the affected FBOs distributing the 
processed food products under this Circular:  
 
A. All FBOs shall be given a maximum of two (2) years transitory period to comply with 
this Circular  upon its effectivity . 
 
B. All affected FBOs granted CPRs with a validity of three (3)  to five (5) years  from the 
effectivity of this Circular shall use a maximum of two (2) years of the CPR validity and 
shall file initial application complying with this Circular after the given period.  
    
 
C. Those CPRs granted with remaining validity and are qualified for renewal with validity 
of less than th irty (30) days  upon effectivity of this Circular shall be renewed for a 
maximum of two (2) years to give ample time to comply with the new guidelines.   
 
D. In the event where stocks of the label of the previous CPR still be available upon the 
filing of the new CPR, request for exhaustion for a maximum of six (6) months may be 
submitted and a copy of its inventory to the FDA.  
 
 
IX. REPEALING CLAUSE  
 
Other FDA issuances inconsistent with this Order are hereby repealed and/or modified 
accordingly.  
 
X. MONITORING AND REVIEW CLAUSE  
 
This Order shall be reviewed and evaluated within three (3) years of its implementation to 
determine whether the policy’s objectives, impact, and effectiveness are achieved.  
 
XI. PENALTY CLAUSE  
 
Any food product that is non-compliant to, or in violation of, the indicated guidelines in 
this Order shall be deemed not in conformity with the applicable food quality or safety 
standard or either adulterated, misbranded, mislabeled  or both, as applicable .  
 
The authorized sanctions shall be  imposed following Republic  Act No. 3720, as amended 
by Executive Order No. 175 and Republic Act No. 9711 or Republic Act No. 10611, as 
far as applicable, and following the proceedings under Book III of the Implementing Rules 
and Regulations of R.A. No. 9711.  
 
XII. SEPARABILITY CLAUSE  
 
If any part, term, of provision of this Order shall be declared invalid or unenforceable, the 
validity or enforceability of the remaining portions or provisions shall not be affected and 
this Order shall be construed as if it did not contain the particular  invalid or unenforceable 
or unconstitutional part, term, or provision.  
 
XIII.  EFFECTIVITY  
 
This Order shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following the publication in the Official 
Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation and filing with the Office of the National 
Administrative Register of the UP Law Center.  
 
 
DR. TEODORO J. HERBOSA  
  SECRETARY OF HEALTH  
DTN 20230518064819  
    
 
ANNEX A  
 
List of Philippine National Standards  and its Recommended Code of Practices for 
Processed  Food Products  
 
PNS Number  Title  
PNS/BFAD 01:2005  Ethnic Food Products:   Dry Base Mixes for Soups and 
Sauces  
PNS/BFAD 02:2005  Ethnic Food Products: Sweet Preserves  
PNS/BFAD 03:2006  Recommended Code of Practice for the Processing and 
Handling of Sweet Preserves  
PNS/BFAD 04:2006  Ethnic Food Products: Dried, Salted Fish  
PNS/BFAD 05:2006  Recommended Code of Practice for the Processing and 
Handling of Dried Fish  
PNS/BFAD 06:2006  Thermally Processed Fish Products  
PNS/BFAD 07:2006  Recommended code of practice f or the processing and 
handling of Thermally Processed Fish Products  
PNS/BFAD 08:2007  Standard for Fermented Milks  
PNS/BFAD 09:2007  Mango Beverage Standard  
PNS/BFAD 10:2007  Recommended code of practice for the Processing and 
Handling of Mango Beverage Products  
PNS/BFAD 11:2007  Citrus Beverage Standard  
PNS/BFAD 12:2007  Recommended code of practice for the Processing and 
Handling of Citrus Beverage Products  
PNS/BFAD 13:2007  Banana chips – Specification  
PNS/BFAD 14:2007  Recommended Code of Practice for the Processing and 
Handling of Banana Chips  
PNS/BFAD 15:2007  Dried Mango Products – Specification  
PNS/BFAD 16:2007  Dried Tropical Fruits – Specification  
PNS/BFAD 17:2007  Recommended Code of Practice for the Processing and 
Handling of Dried Tropical Products  
PNS/BFAD 18:2008  Flour Sticks (Pancit Canton) – Specification  
PNS/BFAD 19:2008  Recommended Code of Practice for the Processing and 
Handling of Flour Sticks (Pancit Canton)  
PNS/BFAD 20:2009  Sugar Cane Wine (Basi) – Spec ifications  
PNS/BFAD 21:2009  Recommended Code of Practice for the Processing and 
Handling of Sugar Cane Wine  
PNS/BFAD 22:2010  Fried Corn Snacks ( Chichacorn)  
PNS/BFAD 23:2010  Recommended Code of Practice for the Processing and 
Handling of Fried Corn Snacks  
PNS/FDA 24:2010  Purple Yam (Ube) Jam (Halaya)  
PNS/FDA 25:2010  Recommended code of practice for the processing and 
handling of purple yam jam 
PNS/FDA 26:2010  Smoked Fish – Specifications  
PNS/FDA 27:2010  Recommended Code of Practice for the Processing and 
Handling of Smoked Fish  
PNS/FDA 28:2010  Processed Pili Nut Products – Spec ifications  
PNS/FDA 29:2010  Recommended Code of Practice for the Processing and 
Handling of Processed Pili Nut Products  
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PNS/FDA 30:2010  Tropical Fruit Wines – Specifications  
PNS/FDA 31:2010  Recommended Code of Practice for the Processing and 
Handling of Tropical Fruit Wines  
PNS/FDA 32:2011  Ethnic Flour -based Confectioneries (Pulvoron, Piaya, 
Barquillos) – Specifications  
PNS/FDA 33:2011  Recommended Code of Practice for the Processing and 
Handling of Ethnic Flour -based Confectioneries (Pulvoron, 
Piaya, Barquillos)  
PNS/FDA 34:2011  Ethnic Milk -based Confectioneries (Yema, Pastillas) – 
Specifications  
PNS/FDA 35:2011  Recommended Code of Practice for the Processing and 
Handling of Ethnic Milk -based Confectioneries (Yema, 
Pastillas)  
PNS/FDA 36:2014  Salt Fermented Fish and Shrimps (Bagoong) – Specifications  
PNS/FDA 37:2014  Recommended Code of Practice for the Processing and 
Handling of Salt Fermented Fish and Shrimps (Bagoong)  
PNS/FDA 38:2015  Fish Sauce (Patis) and Fish Flavoured Sauce – Specifications  
PNS/FDA 39:2015  Recommended Code of Practice for the Processing and 
Handling of Fish Sauce (Patis) and Fish Flavoured Sauce  
PNS/FDA 40:2015  Banana Ketchup – Specifications  
PNS/FDA 41:2015  Recommended Code of Practice for the Processing and 
Handling of Banana Ketchup  
PNS/BAFS 22: 
2004;2005;2007;2022  Virgin Coconut Oil  
PNS/BAFS 25:2007  Desiccated Coconut  
PNS/BAFS 28:2006  Buko Juice  
PNS/BAFS 29:2010; 2017 
Part 1  Dried Cassava Chips/Granules and Grates for Food Purposes  
PNS/BAFS 36:2008  Fresh Milk  
PNS/BAFS 210:2017  Code of Hygienic Practice (COHP) for Milk  
PNS/BAFS 47:2011;2021  Distilled fermented coconut sap (Coconut lambanog)  
PNS/BAFS 75:2010  Coconut flour – specification  
PNS/BAFS 76:2010; 2016  Coconut sap sugar – Grading and classification  
PNS/BAFS 82: 2010; 2018  White sugar - specification  
PNS/BAFS 176: 2016  Dried Anchovies  
PNS/BAFS 68: 2008  Dried Danggit  
PNS/BAFS 109:2011  Moringa powder  
PNS/BAFS 110:2011  Moringa oil  
PNS/BAFS 111:2012;2021  Philippine Tablea  
PNS/BAFS 88:2012  Code of Hygienic Practice (COHP) for Philippine Tablea  
PNS/BAFS 144:2015  Muscovado Sugar  
PNS/BAFS 145:2015  Recommended Code of Practice for the Processing and 
Handling of Muscovado Sugar  
PNS/BAFS 185:2016  Honey  
 
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