G/SPS/N/PHL/463  
 
15 July 2020  
(20-4813) 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  
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national 
schedules deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, 
where applicable):  Animals and animal products  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[X] All trading partners   
[ ] Specific regions or coun tries:   
5. Title of the notified document:  Department of Agriculture   Administrative Order No.  25 
Series of 2020  Institutionalizing the Acceptance of Electronic Veterinary Health 
Certificates (e -CERT) . Language(s):  English . Number of pages:  One (1)  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2020/SPS/PHL/20_4138_00_e.pdf  
6. Description of content:  The Order institutionalizes the acceptance of electronic Health 
Certificate with its corresponding e -signatures for animals and animal products as legal 
and functional equivalent of paper -based certifications issued by the counterpart 
Competent Authority of exporting country.  
7. Objective and rationale: [X]  food safet y, [X]  animal health, [  ] plant protection, 
[X] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [  ] protect territory from 
other damage from pests.   
8. Is there a relevant international standard? If so, identify the standard:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex 
standard or related text) :  
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number) :  
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :  
[X] None  
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?  
[ ] Yes   [  ] No 
If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:   
9. Other relevant documents and lan guage(s) in which these are available:    G/SPS/N/PHL/463  
 
- 2 - 
 
  10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : 11 June 2020  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : To be determined  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [  ] Six months from date of publication , 
and/or  (dd/mm/yy) : Fifteen (15) days after publication  
[X] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [  ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) :  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [X]  Nationa l 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@gmail.com   
Website: http://spsissuances.da.gov.ph/  
Or 
National Veterinary Quarantine Services Division  
Bureau of Animal Industry  
Visayas Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City  
Tel: +(632) 528 2250  
Email: baiquarantinephvhc@gmail.com   
 baiquarantineph@gmail.co m  
13. Text(s) 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@gmail.com   
Website: http://spsissuances.da.gov.ph/  
Or 
National Veterinary Quarantine Services Division  
Bureau of Animal Industry  
Visayas Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City  
Tel: +(632) 528 2250  
Email: baiquarantinephvhc@gmail.com   
 baiquarantineph@gmail.com