G/SPS/N/PHL/254  
 
22 May 2014  
(14-3072)  Page: 1/2  
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  NOTIFICATION 
1. Notifying Member: PHILIPPINES 
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible: Department of Agriculture (DA), Bureau of Agriculture and 
Fisheries Standards (BAFS) 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item  number(s) as specified in national 
schedules deposited with the WTO; IC S numbers should be provided in 
addition, where applicable): HS Code: 1006 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected , to the extent relevant or practicable: 
[X] All trading partners   
[ ] Specific regions or countries:   
5. Title of the notified document: Final Draft Philippine National Standards (PNS) Code 
of Agricultural Practice (GAP) on Rice  Language(s): English  Number of pages: 13 
http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2014/sps/PHL/14_2426_00_e.pdf  
6. Description of content: The Code of Good Agricultural Practices for Rice (GAP Rice) is 
a set of consolidated safety and quality standards covering the production, harvesting 
and on-farm post-harvest handling and storage of  paddy rice. This code of practice takes 
into account the Philippine GAP for Fruits an d Vegetables and the Philippine GAP for Corn 
which is based on the concept of Hazard Analysis of Critical Control Points (HACCP) and 
quality management principles from farm to table continuum with emphasis on the 
following six key areas: 
a. Farm location; 
b. Farm environment; 
c. Farm structure and facility maintenance; 
d. Farming practices (land preparation, seed material, nutrient management, pest 
management, weed management, water management, harvest practices and post-
harvest practices); 
e. Workers' health and safety; and 
f. Farm management (e.g. farm records, traceability, staff training). 
7. Objective and rationale: [X] food safety, [ ] animal health, [ ] plant protection, 
[ ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [ ] protect territory from 
other damage from pests.   
8. Is there a relevant international st andard? If so, identify the standard:  
[X] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex 
standard or related text) CAC. 1995. Codex Standard for Rice. CODEX STAN 
198-1995 
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number)    G/SPS/N/PHL/254 
 
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  [ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g. ISPM number)    
[ ] None Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?   
[X] Yes   [ ] No 
If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:   
9. Other relevant documents and language (s) in which these are available:     
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : 28 July 2014 
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : The publication of the aforementioned 
standards shall be done once approved by the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture.  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [ ] Six months from date of publication , 
and/or  (dd/mm/yy) : 28 July 2014 
[X] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [ ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 21 July 2014 
Agency or authority designated to hand le comments: [X] National Notification 
Authority, [X] National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e-mail address 
(if available) of other body:  
Office of the Director 
Policy Research Service Department of Agriculture 
Elliptical Road, Diliman 
Quezon City Tel: +(632) 926 7439 
Fax: +(632) 928 0590 
E-mail: spspilipinas@da.gov.ph OR 
Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Standards 
BPI Compound, Visayas Avenue Diliman, Quezon City Tel: +(632)4552856 
Fax: +(632)4552858 
E-mail: bafpsda@yahoo.com 
13. Texts available from: [X] National Notification Authority, [X] National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:   
Office of the Director  
Policy Research Service 
Department of Agriculture Elliptical Road, Diliman Quezon City 
Tel: +(632) 926 7439 
Fax: +(632) 928 0590 E-mail: spspilipinas@da.gov.ph 
OR 
Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Standards BPI Compound, Visayas Avenue 
Diliman, Quezon City 
Tel: +(632)4552856 Fax: +(632)4552858 E-mail: bafpsda@yahoo.com