. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/TBT/N/PHL/32
12 September 2003
(03-4769)
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:  English
NOTIFICATION
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6.
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   PHILIPPINES
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):           
2. Agency responsible:   Bureau of Product Standards, Department of  Trade and Industry
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, e-mail and web-site
addresses, if available) of  agency or authority designated to handle comments
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:           
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [  X ], 2.10.1 [    ], 5.6.2 [    ], 5.7.1 [    ], other:           
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading.
ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):   Paper, board and pulps –
Grade school pads - Specification (ICS 01.040.85.080)
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   Philippine National
Standard (PNS) 473:1997 – Paper, board and pulps – Grade school pads - Specification
(6 pages, in English)
6. Description of content:   This Philippine National Standard specifies the requirements for
grade school pads.
The paper used for grade school pads shall be either bond paper which conforms to PNS 70
or newsprint which conforms to PNS 126.  Th e minimum number of leaves per pad was
changed from 100 to 90 leaves and shall be marked in the board backing of each pad.
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:
The mandatory implementation of this standard is hereby ordered, for the protection of
consumers and the general public.
8. Relevant documents:   The following standards contain provisions which, through
reference in this text form part of this national standard.
PNS 70:1986 – Specification for bond paper, white and coloredPNS 126:1988 – Specification for newsprint
PNS 303:1996/ISO 186:1994 – Paper and board – Sampling to determine average quality
PNS 305:1996/ISO 534:1988 – Paper and board – Determination of the thickness and
apparent bulk density or apparent sheet densityG/TBT/N/PHL/32
Page 2
PNS 306:1996/ISO 536:1995 – Paper and board – Determination of grammage
PNS 307:1996/ISO 1924-1:1992 – Paper and board – Determination of tensile properties –
Part 1:  Constant rate of loading method
PNS 308:1996/ISO 2144:1987 – Paper and board – Determination of ash
PNS 309:1996/ISO 2470:1977 – Paper and board – Me asurement of diffuse blue reflectance
factor (ISO brightness)
PNS 310:1996/ISO 2471:1977 – Paper and board – Determination of opacity (paper
backing) – Diffuse reflectance method
PNS 311:1996/ISO 6588:1981 – Paper,  board and pulps – Determination of pH of aqueous
extracts
PNS 317:1996/ISO 5627:1995 – Paper and boa rd – Determination of smoothness
(Bekk method)
PNS 327:1996 – Method of test for dirt count of paper
9. Proposed date of adoption:
Proposed date of entry into force: }Year 2004
10. Final date for comments:   5 December 2003
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [  X ] or address, telephone and fax
numbers, e-mail and web-site addresses, if available of the other body:
Bureau of Product Standards (WTO-TBT Enquiry Point), 3/F Trade and Industry Building,
361 Sen. Gil J. Puyat Avenue, Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines;
Tel.:  (632) 890-5227; Fax No.: (632- 890-5131;  e-mail:  bps@dti.dti.gov.ph