SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE } 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
} 
T h ird  R e g u la r S ession  
}
'9 
r rq n  
p2 :29
S E N A T E  
S.B. No. 
1 1
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR VICENTE C. SOTTO III
AN ACT
MODERNIZING THE NATIONAL MEASUREMENT SYSTEM (NMS) OF THE 
PHILIPPINES, CREATING FOR THIS PURPOSE THE NATIONAL 
MEASUREMENT INSTITUTE OF THE PHILIPPINES, APPROPRIATING 
FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
In 2003, Republic Act 9236, also known as the “National Metrology 
Act of 2003” established the National Measurement Infrastructure System 
(NMIS). The National Metrology Division (NMD) of the Industrial Technology 
Development Institute (ITDI) is the one tasked to develop, maintain, and 
disseminate measurement standards in the country. However, coping with 
today’s rapid technological changes have become more difficult due to its 
limited fund, personnel and facility.
Metrology affect standards, technical regulations and conformity 
assessment. It plays a crucial role in the development of society, trade, and 
consumer protection. Verily, its scope is too broad to be under a multi­
disciplinary institute such as ITDI.
Hence, the proposed legislation seeks to transform the NMD into 
National Measurement Institute of the Philippines (NMIPhil), which shall be 
directly attached to the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). 
Also set forth in the bill are the distinct functions of the NMIPhil and the 
National Metrology Board (NMB). The latter’s composition, as created under


Section 5 of RA 9236, shall now include the Secretary or duly authorized 
representative of the following agencies/offices: Department of Energy 
(DOE), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of 
National Defense (DND), Department of Information and Technology (DICT), 
Department of Transportation (DOTr), Local Authorities of the Philippines, 
and Committees on Science and Technology of the Senate and House of 
Representatives. The NMB shall be responsible for the control of 
measurement, ensuring harmonization of policies/regulations, and its 
proper implementation and coordination.
This will enable our country to formally establish its linkages with 
international and regional metrology organizations and/or associations 
such as Metre Convention, Asia Pacific Metrology Programme (APMP) and 
the Asia Pacific Legal Metrology Forum (APLMF) among others. A national 
measurement system that is consistent with the ASEAN and international 
standards will minimize market failure, reduce transaction costs, increase 
economic efficiency, and support innovation. Filipinos will no longer have 
to settle with measurements which are “medyo tamcf, “pwede na yarf or 
“sakto na”. Ultimately, the bill is geared towards improving our quality of 
life.
Thus, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
CENTE C. SOTTO III


SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE } 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
}
T h ird  R e g u la r S essio n  
}
19 
rrq ]  ] 
p7 :29
S E N A T E
S.B. No. 2211
h. •_____
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR VICENTE C. SOTTO III
AN ACT
MODERNIZING THE NATIONAL MEASUREMENT SYSTEM (NMS) OF THE 
PHILIPPINES, CREATING FOR THIS PURPOSE THE NATIONAL 
MEASUREMENT INSTITUTE OF THE PHILIPPINES, APPROPRIATING 
FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
1 
Section 1. Title. - This Act shall be known and cited as the
2 
“Modernized National Measurement System Act”.
3 
Section 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared to be the policy
4 
of the State to facilitate the development of scientific and technical
5 
knowledge and progress in the national economy by providing a modernized
6 
National Measurement System (NMS) that will ensure the integrity of
7 
measurements 
in 
the 
country, 
meet 
regional 
and 
international
8 
requirements, and provide support for the competitiveness of Philippine
9 
products and services. The State shall also support the undertaking of
10 
necessary activities to promote metrology, 
to develop appropriate
11 
infrastructures, to support research in metrology and to protect the health,
12 
safety and interest of every citizen and his environment against possible
13 
abuse related to measurements.
14 
The State shall support the harmonization of national requirements,
15 
including technical regulations, document standards and conformity
16 
assessment procedures, with international requirements as envisioned in
1


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the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), World Trade Organization (WTO)
2 
and other international agreements and covenants resulting to free flow of
3 
goods and services, and a predictable trading environment.
4 
The 
State 
shall 
provide 
support 
to 
metrology research 
and
5 
development for the purpose of continuously improving the national
6 
measurement standards and their measurement uncertainties, developing
7 
novel measurement techniques and technologies aiming at Philippine
8 
industry take-up to stimulate industrial innovation; coming-up with
9 
solutions for societal challenges focusing on contributions for energy
10 
efficiency, food security, environment protection, and citizen’s health,
11 
security and economic well-being; and address locally the measurement
12 
needs of society and industry.
13 
Section 3. Scope. -  This Act shall cover all agencies, institutions,
14 
entities involved in metrological activities and processes, both private and
15 
public.
16 
Section 4. Objectives. -  In furtherance of the policies enunciated in
17 
this Act, the following objectives shall be pursued:
18 
a. Transform the existing National Metrology Division of the Industrial
19 
Technology Development Institute to the National Measurement
20 
Institute of the Philippines directly under the Department of
21 
Science and Technology;
22 
b. Designate the National Measurement Institute of the Philippines as
23 
the country’s national metrology institute;
24 
c. Ensure that measurements in the country are reliable;
25 
d. Strengthen and harmonize the country’s measurement system in
26 
accordance to international best practices to support confidence to
27 
in measurements in for regulation, trade and manufacturing;
28 
e. Implement legal metrological controls of measuring instruments in
29 
the country—in the interest of fair trade, health, safety, law
30 
enforcement, and environment protection.


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f. Disseminate knowledge on state-of-the-art calibration techniques 
and develop competencies on legal metrological controls through 
capacity building programs; and
g. Foster a metrology culture that will instill a keen appreciation of 
metrology as a discipline through the integration of metrology 
courses in the educational system.
7 
Section 5. Definition of terms. -For the purpose of harmonizing with
8 
international best practices, the following terms are in reference to the
9 
International Vocabulary of Metrology and International Vocabulary of Legal
10 
Metrology:
11 
a. Accreditation -  is the process in which an authoritative body
12 
formally recognizes the competence, impartiality and capability of
13 
an 
organization 
to carry out 
specific activities, 
such 
as
14 
certification, testing, calibration and inspection.
15 
b. ASEAN Common Requirements of Prepackaged Products -  is a
16 
regionally-agreed document specifying the labelling requirements
17 
and allowed quantity deficiency in prepackaged products for
18 
ASEAN Member States namely Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia,
19 
Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore,
20 
Thailand and Viet Nam.
21 
c. Asia Pacific Legal Metrology Forum (APLMF) -  is a grouping of legal
22 
metrology authorities from the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation
23 
Member economies and other economies in the Pacific Rim for the
24 
development of legal metrology and promotion of free and open
25 
trade in the Asia Pacific region through harmonization and
26 
removal of technical or administrative barriers to trade in the field
27 
of legal metrology.
28 
d. Asia Pacific Metrology Programme (APMP) -  is a grouping of
29 
national metrology institutes from the Asia-Pacific region for the
30 
promotion and support of a measurement infrastructure in the
31 
Asia Pacific region that facilitates international trade, improves
32 
industrial efficiency and competitiveness, ensures equity in the


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marketplace, and enhances the quality of life and the environment 
through reliable measurements.
e. Calibration - operation that, under specified conditions, in a first 
step, establishes a relation between the quantity values with 
measurement uncertainties provided by measurement standards 
and corresponding indications with associated measurement 
uncertainties and, in a second step, uses this information to 
establish a relation for obtaining a measurement result from an 
indication.
f. 
Calibration laboratories - public or private entities that perform 
tests and/or calibrations in a permanent, temporary, or remote 
location.
g. Certification - procedure by which a third party provides written 
attestation that a product, process or service meets specified 
requirements.
h. Conformity assessment - is a set of processes that shows a 
product, service or system meets specified requirements. The main 
forms of conformity assessment are testing, certification, and 
inspection.
i. 
Designated Institutes - are organizations or entities appointed by a 
country’s 
national 
metrology 
institute 
to 
hold 
specific 
measurement standards or services that are not covered by the 
national metrology institute.
j. 
Inspection - examination of a measuring instrument to ascertain 
all or some of the following: verification mark and/or certificate is 
valid, no sealing marks are damaged, after verification the 
instrument suffered no obvious modification, its errors do not 
exceed the maximum permissible in service errors. Inspection of a 
measuring instrument may be done only after verification.
k. International System of Units or Systeme International d'Unites 
(SI) in French - is the modern metric system establishing seven 
base units for base quantities namely metre for length, kilogram 
for mass, second for time, ampere for electric current, kelvin for


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thermodynamic temperature, mole for amount of substance and 
candela for luminous intensity. The derived units of the SI (e.g. 
metre per second, watt, newton, etc.) are then formed as products 
of powers of the base units, according to the algebraic relations 
that define the corresponding derived quantities in terms of the 
base quantities.
l. 
Legal Metrological Controls - series of evaluations and periodic 
checks performed on regulated measuring instruments throughout 
their lifetime to monitor if they are still suitable for their intended 
use. For prepackaged products, it refers to the checking of the 
quantities contained in the package with reference to the quantity 
indicated in the label.
m. Legal Metrology - is the practice and process of applying regulatory 
structure and enforcement to measurements and measuring 
instruments to ensure trade and legal decisions are fair, and that 
the health, safety and interest of every citizen and his environment 
are 
protected 
against 
possible 
abuse 
related 
to 
wrong 
measurements.
n. Legal Units of Measurement - units of measurement required or 
permitted by regulations.
o. Measurement Standard - is a material measure, measuring 
instrument, reference material or measuring system intended to 
define, realize, conserve or reproduce a unit, or one or more values 
of a quantity to serve as a reference.
p. Measuring 
Instrument - 
is 
a 
device 
used 
for 
making 
measurements, alone or in conjunction with one or more 
supplementary devices. This may be an indicating measuring 
instrument or a material measure.
q. Metre Convention - is a diplomatic treaty which established a 
permanent organizational structure for member governments to 
act in common accord on all matters relating to metrology.


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r. metrological traceability- is the property of a measurement result 
whereby the result can be related to a reference through a 
documented unbroken chain of calibrations, each contributing to 
the measurement uncertainty.
s. Metrology - science of measurement and its application. It 
includes all theoretical and practical aspects of measurement.
t. 
National Accreditation Body - is a national organization which 
attests to the competence and impartiality of conformity 
assessment 
bodies 
(testing 
and 
calibration 
laboratories, 
certification and inspection bodies), according to internationally 
accepted standards.
u. National Measurement Standards - measurement standard 
recognized by national authority to serve in a state or economy as 
the basis for assigning quantity values to other measurement 
standards for the kind of quantity concerned.
V. National Measurement System (NMS) - collective infrastructure of 
national facilities, expertise, knowledge and research, and is also a 
legal framework for reliable, consistent and internationally 
recognized 
measurement. 
The 
infrastructure 
encompasses 
essential elements of both the public and private sector.
w. National Metrology Institutes - are bodies with the responsibility of 
maintaining 
the 
national 
measurement 
standards 
and 
disseminating the SI Units nationally (i.e. they provide metrological 
traceability).
X. International Organization for Legal Metrology or Organisation 
Internationale de Metrologie Legale (OIML) in French - is an 
intergovernmental organization comprising of one hundred twenty- 
six (126) governments that establishes the coordination and 
harmonization at the international level the administrative and 
technical regulations applied to measurements and measuring 
instruments passed by different governments.


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y. OIML Recommendations - are model regulations that establish the 
metrological 
characteristics 
required 
of certain 
measuring 
instruments and which specify methods and equipment for 
checking their conformity. These model regulations are concerned 
with the acceptable tolerances referred to as maximum permissible 
errors, within which regulated measurements and measuring 
instruments should operate despite variations in temperature and 
humidity, power supply and electromagnetic interference.
z. Prepackaged Products - are commodities that are enclosed in a 
container or wrapped in any manner, and for which their 
quantities have been determined and indicated on their labels 
prior to being offered for sale. The quantity contained cannot be 
changed without the prepackaged product being opened or doing a 
perceptible modification.
aa. Proficiency Testing - is a comparison activity that determines the 
performance of individual laboratories for specific tests or 
measurements and is used to monitor laboratories’ continuing 
performance.
bb. Working Measurement Standard - is a measurement standard that 
is used routinely to calibrate or verify measuring instruments or 
measuring systems
22 
Section 6. National Measurement Institute of the Philippines. -  The
23 
National Metrology Division (NMD), a division under Industrial Technology
24 
Development Institute responsible for establishing and maintaining the
25 
national measurement 
standards in 
physical quantities, 
is 
hereby
26 
transformed to the National Measurement Institute of the Philippines
27 
(NMIPhil). Thereafter, all powers, functions, duties, records, files and assets
28 
including plantilla positions of the NMD shall be transferred to the NMIPhil.
29 
There shall be no diminution of rank and salaries, allowances and benefits
30 
of transferred employees. New employees of NMIPhil shall be entitled to the
31 
same allowances and benefits as those of the transferred employees.


1 
The NMIPhil shall be designated as the country’s national metrology
2 
institute. It shall be an attached agency of the Department of Science and
3 
Technology (DOST) for policy, program coordination and administrative
4 
supervision.
5 
The NMIPhil shall be headed by a Director General. The Director
6 
General shall be appointed by the President upon recommendation by the
7 
Secretary of the DOST and shall receive the benefits, privileges and
8 
emoluments equivalent to the rank of Undersecretary.
9 
As the chief executive officer of the NMIPhil, the Director General shall
10 
exercise general supervision and control to its technical and administrative
11 
personnel and shall be assisted by at least one (1) Deputy Director General.
12 
The NMIPhil, in coordination with the Department of Budget and
13 
Management and the Civil Service Commission, shall determine the
14 
appropriate administrative and technical support complement necessary for
15 
the effective and efficient operations of the Institute.
16 
Section 7. Functions, Duties And Responsibilities of The National
17 
Measurement Institute of the Philippines. - The NMIPhil shall have the
18 
following functions:
19 
a. To maintain and continuously update the national measurement
20 
standards in all relevant fields for the Philippines; as such the
21 
NMIPhil 
shall guarantee 
that 
all 
metrological 
laboratories,
22 
infrastructure, 
equipment, 
instruments, 
artifacts, 
reference
23 
standards and other similar articles are in good condition,
24 
internationally compliant and reliant and other qualities that may
25 
be required in the future;
26 
b. To provide metrological traceability to the International System of
27 
Units (SI) for measurements used in regulations, trade and
28 
manufacturing;
29 
c. To facilitate international harmonization and comparability of
30 
measurements;


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d. To Strengthen the collaboration with calibration laboratories in the 
areas of capacity building—and harmonization of measurement 
procedures;
e. To offer technical support to industry in measurement related 
issues;
f. To appoint competent laboratories as “Designated Institutes” for 
specific measurement fields of national interest not covered by the 
national metrology institute e.g. ionizing radiation and time among 
others;
g. To coordinate with other local institutes/bodies having metrological 
responsibilities (radiation, standard time and dissemination, etc);
h. To disseminate knowledge and competencies in metrology through 
education and capacity building programs to relevant regulatory 
bodies and other entities responsible for the implementation of 
legal metrological controls;
i. To engage and/or coordinate research and development work in 
metrology;
jr To strengthen and develop a human resource development 
program. Hence, there shall be a continuing human resource 
development program; provided that capacity building activities 
needed to upgrade capacities of technical personnel to a travel 
bond or its equivalent return of service as determined by existing 
laws. Otherwise, the NMlPhil may invite foreign experts to conduct 
trainings, render technical services such as repair, calibration and 
the like, which shall be charged to its funds;
k. To represent the Philippines’ interest in international and regional 
metrology organizations;
l. To provide support to Quality Infrastructure-related institutes, 
especially standardization and accreditation in aspects related to 
metrology.
31 
Section 8. National Measurement Standards - The NMlPhil shall
32 
periodically undertake metrological activities, calibration, re-calibration and


1 
other related activities to effectively undertake its functions, duties and
2 
responsibilities, and comply with international standards.
3 
Any 
equipment, 
instrument, 
artifact, 
and/or 
other 
National
4 
Measurement Standards used by NMlPhil that shall be subject to such
5 
activities, 
including 
proficiency 
testing, 
comparison 
measurements,
6 
preventive maintenance and repair, requiring foreign technical services;
7 
such processes shall be exempt from any taxes, dues, and other impositions
8 
by the Bureau of Customs, Bureau of Internal Revenue or by the Secretary
9 
of Finance. The implementing mechanism shall be included in the
10 
Implementing Rules and Regulations of this Act.
11 
Section 9. Memberships of the Philippines. - The State shall ensure,
12 
through the NMIPhil, that the Philippines’ measurement system is linked to
13 
the global metrology system by becoming a Signatory to the Metre
14 
Convention, a Full Member of the Asia Pacific Metrology Programme (APMP),
15 
a Member State of the International Organization for Legal Metrology (OIML)
16 
and a Full Member of the Asia Pacific Legal Metrology Forum (APLMF).
17 
Linkages or affiliations to other international and regional metrology
18 
organizations and/or associations, other than those mentioned, that are of
19 
interest to the country’s national measurement system shall be established.
20 
Section 10. National Metrology Board. -  The National Metrology Board
21 
(NMB), hereinafter referred to as the Board, shall be chaired by the
22 
Secretary of the DOST. It shall be composed of the Secretaries of the
23 
following agencies or their duly authorized representative, preferably with
24 
the rank of Undersecretary, as ex ofiicio members;
25 
(a) Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)
26 
(b) Department of Health (DOH)
27 
(c) Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)
28 
(d) Department of Energy (DOE)
29 
(e) Government Recognized body representative from the Local
30 
Government Units
31 
(f) National Measurement Institute of the Philippines (NMIPhil)
10


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(g) One (1) representative each from the
2 
i. 
manufacturing industry sector;
3 
ii. 
local manufacturer of measuring instruments; and
4 
iii. 
private 
calibration 
laboratories/professional 
metrology
5 
association of national membership;
6 
Each member shall be appointed by the Secretaiy of the DOST and
7 
shall have a term of (3) years.
8 
When the Board deems it necessary for the effective implementation of
9 
this Act, it may call upon the heads of the following departments/agencies
10 
and private institutions such as, but not limited to:
11 
• Department of Agriculture (DA)
12 
• Department of Justice (DOJ)
13 
• Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG)
14 
• Department of National Defense (DND)
15 
• Department of Information Communication Technology (DICT)
16 
• Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)
17 
• Department of Transportation (DOTr)
18 
• 
Local Government Units (LGUs)
19 
• 
Bureau of Customs (BOG)
20 
• 
Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC)
21 
• 
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
22 
• 
Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA)
23 
• 
Manila Electric Company (MERALCO)
24 
• 
Manila Water Company, Inc.
25 
• 
Maynilad Water Services, Inc.
26 
• 
Metropolitan Manila Development Agency (MMDA)
27 
• 
Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS)
28 
• National Food Authority (NFA)
29 
• National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS)
30 
• National Telecommunications Commission (NTC)
31 
• Oil Industry Management Bureau (OIMB)
32 
• 
Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)
11


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• Sugar Regulatory Authority (SRA)
2 
The Board shall convene at least twice a year. Special meetings may
3 
be convened upon the request of the Chair or majority of the Board
4 
members. Each member of the Board shall be entitled to incentives and
5 
allowances for his/her attendance to regular and special meetings based on
6 
prevailing DOST guidelines.
7 
The National Measurement Institute of the Philippines is hereby
8 
mandated to serve as the Board's Secretariat.
9 
Section 11. Functions, Duties And Responsibilities of the National
10 
Metrology Board. - The Board shall be responsible for the legal metrological
11 
controls in the country, in coordination with other executive branches of
12 
government. It shall ensure uniformity of procedures and their proper
13 
implementation.
14 
In the exercise of its functions, duties and responsibilities, the Board
15 
shall have the power to engage both public and private entities in imposing
16 
its policies in 
order to ensure that measurements and measuring
17 
instruments used in trade, health, safety, law enforcement and environment
18 
protection are subjected to legal metrological controls and are complying
19 
with the relevant regulations.
20 
The Board shall likewise perform such other functions which may be
21 
necessary in implementing this Act.
22 
Section 
12. 
National 
Measurement 
System. 
- 
The 
National
23 
Measurement System (NMS) shall provide and maintain the necessary
24 
infrastructure to support confidence in measurements used for regulation,
25 
trade, and manufacturing in the country and it shall cover the following:
26 
a. legal units of measurement;
27 
b. national measurement standards;
28 
c. hierarchy of measurement standards and metrological traceability;
29 
d. national legal metrology regulations for 
measurements and
30 
measuring instruments;
31 
e. legal metrological controls;
12


2
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f. certification system; and
g. accreditation system.
3 
Section 13. Registration of Regulated Measuring Instruments. - The
4 
State shall require the registration of all measuring instruments used in
5 
trade, health, safety, law enforcement and environment protection with the
6 
National Regulators and Local Government Units.
7 
Those measuring instruments used as working measurement
8 
standards by the National Regulators, Local Government Units, and Board-
9 
authorized entities in the implementation of legal metrological controls, shall
10 
be registered with the Board, through the NMB Secretariat.
11 
Section 14. Legal Units of Measurement. - The International System of
12 
Units (SI) and combinations of those units shall be the legal units of
13 
measurement mandated to be used in the Philippines including the
14 
following:
15 
a. non-SI units accepted for use with the SI (e.g. minute, hour, day
16 
for time, hectare for area, tonne for mass, bar for pressure,
17 
angstrom for length, nautical mile for distance, decibel for sound
18 
level); and
19 
b. non-SI units allowed by international agreement (e.g feet for
20 
altitude navigation and mm Hg for blood pressure).
21 
Section 15. Hierarchy of Measurement Standards. - The NMIPhil shall
22 
maintain the national measurement standards for the legal units and
23 
provide calibrations at appropriate levels of accuracy for the calibration
24 
laboratories. National Regulators and Board-authorized public or private
25 
entities to disseminate the SI units. The national measurement standards
26 
shall in all cases be those assumed to be the most accurate measurement
27 
standards of the country.
28 
Private and public calibration laboratories including the DOST
29 
Regional Offices shall, in turn provide lower-accuracy calibrations and
30 
measurements to industries and communities using working measurement
13


1 
standards that have been calibrated by the NMIPhil. Similarly, National
2 
Regulators, Local Government Units and entities authorized by the Board,
3 
on the premise that their working measurement standards are of the same
4 
accuracy level as those of the calibration laboratories, shall provide legal
5 
metrological controls of measuring instruments using working measurement
6 
standards calibrated by the NMIPhil.
7 
Section 16. Metrological Traceability. - Measurements in both the
8 
regulated and non-regulated areas shall be traceable to the SI through the
9 
national measurement standards maintained by the country’s national
10 
metrology institute to ensure international compatibility and acceptance of
11 
measurement results.
12 
For traceability not provided through the NMIPhil, the State shall
13 
recognize measurement standards of other national metrology institutes
14 
provided they are internationally accepted by the global metrology
15 
community.
16 
Section 17. Legal Metrological Controls. - Measuring instruments
17 
used in trade, health, safety, law enforcement and environment protection
18 
shall be evaluated based on the relevant OIML Recommendations and/or
19 
ASEAN Guidelines by the National Regulators, Local Government Units and
20 
other Board-authorized entities.
21 
Compliance to quantity and labelling requirements of prepackaged
22 
products shall be checked by the National Regulators and Board-authorized
23 
public and private entities in accordance with the ASEAN Common
24 
Requirements of Prepackaged Products and/or OIML Recommendations.
25 
Section 18. Right of Access. - The National Regulators, Local
26 
Government Units and Board-authorized public or private entities, upon
27 
presentation of their credentialsT shall have the right of access to every
28 
establishment 
or 
commercial 
premise, 
where regulated 
measuring
29 
instruments are, or may be installed, kept or used.
14


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In the same manner, they shall also have the right of access to every
2 
premise or facility where prepackaged products are manufactured, or may
3 
be filled, packed, labeled, kept or offered for sale.
4 
Any officer or agent of the establishments, commercial premises or
5 
other facilities who shall refuse the inspection shall be liable to the penalties
6 
imposed under Section 25 of this Act.
7 
Section 19. Certification System. -  The State shall establish a
8 
certification system to ensure that legal metrological controls are carried out
9 
only by competent personnel.
10 
Section 20. Accreditation System. - The State shall maintain an
11 
accreditation system to ensure the technical competence of calibration and
12 
testing laboratories in the performance of their services under the terms of
13 
ISO/IEC 17025 “General Requirements for the Competence of Testing and
14 
Calibration Laboratories.”
15 
The 
Philippine Accreditation 
Bureau 
(PAB), 
as the national
16 
accreditation body of the Philippines, shall be responsible to accredit
17 
inspection, testing and certifying bodies, and other bodies offering
18 
conformity assessment services.
19 
Section 21. Prohibited Acts. - The following shall constitute prohibited
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acts of any person or juridical person and are hereby declared unlawful:
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a) to sell, offer, or expose for sale goods or products with a quantity
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less than the quantity represented;
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b) to represent the quantity in any manner or intending to mislead or
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in any way deceive another person;
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c) failure to register regulated measuring instruments;
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d) use of unregistered regulated measuring instruments;
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e) hinder or obstruct any National Regulators, Local Government
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Units and Board-authorized entities in the performance of their
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duties;
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f) impersonate a National Regulator, Local Government Units and 
Board-authorized public and private entity;
g) affix fake or undue conformity marking or verification marks;
h) use of units other than the legal units of measurement in trade, 
commercial transactions, documentation and advertisements for 
products and services, publications, or training
i) use of regulated measuring instruments which have not been 
submitted to legal metrological control;
j) use of regulated measuring instruments which have failed the legal 
metrological control and are giving false/wrong measurements;
k) affix false conformity markings or affix conformity markings 
illegally on measuring instruments;
l) falsification of documents relative to legal metrological control;
m) remove or tamper any tag, seal, or mark from any weight or 
measure or measuring instrument without being duly authorized 
by the proper authority; and
n) manipulate software and/or hardware of measuring instruments to 
give false measurements.
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Section 22. National Metrology Training Center. -  A National
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Metrology Training Center shall be established and operated by the NMlPhil
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to undertake training on metrology for the capacity building of calibration
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laboratories. National Regulators, Local Government Units and other Board-
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authorized entities responsible for implementing legal metrological controls
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in the country.
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Section 
23. 
Public 
Information/Advocacy. 
-  The 
NMlPhil, 
in
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collaboration with other concerned government agencies and stakeholders,
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shall engage in information campaigns and advocacy programs to increase
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the public’s awareness on metrology and instill greater appreciation of
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metrology by the public.
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Section 24. Education. - The NMIPhil, Department of Education,
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Commission on Higher Education, and other concerned government
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agencies shall formulate the design and details of a curriculum on metrology
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and its inclusion in all levels of the Philippines’ education system.
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Section 25. Penalties. - Any person who violates any provision of this
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Act shall be penalized by imprisonment of not less than six (6) months but
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not more than five (5) years or fine of not less than fifty thousand pesos
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(Php 50,000.00) but not more than five hundred thousand (Php 500,000.00)
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or both upon the discretion of the court: Provided, however, that if the
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violator is a corporation, firm, partnership or association, the penalty shall
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be imposed upon the president or the manager or any officer thereof who
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knows or ought to have known the commission of the offense.
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Section 26. Transitory Provisions. - The transfer of functions, assets,
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funds, equipment, properties, transactions, and personnel of the affected
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agency, and the formulation of the internal organic structure, staffing
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pattern, operating system, and revised budget of NMIPhil, shall be
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completed within six (6) months from the effectivity of this Act, during such
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time, the existing personnel shall continue to assume their posts in holdover
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capacities until new appointments are issued.
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After the transformation of National Metrology Division as specified in
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Section 6 of this Act, the DOST, in coordination with the DBM, shall
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determine and create new positions.
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Section 27. Appropriations. -  The amount necessaiy to carry out the
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provisions of this Act shall be included in the General Appropriations Act for
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the year following its enactment and every year thereafter.
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In addition to the GAA, eighty percent (80%) of the fees and charges
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collected by the NMIPhil, NMB Secretariat and the DOST Regional Offices
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from metrology-related works including calibration and measurement
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services, technical trainings, and proficiency testing services shall be
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retained and correspondingly used by the NMIPhil and DOST Regional
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Offices in the upkeep and modernization of measurement standards and
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facilities, purchase of measurement standards and equipment, promotion of
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metrology culture, awareness raising programs and advocacy campaigns,
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among others. The remaining amount shall be remitted to the National
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Treasury.
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Section 28. Implementing Rules And Regulations. -  The DOST, in
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coordination with other concerned government departments, agencies and
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representatives mentioned in Section 9 hereof shall within one hundred
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eighty (180) days from the effectivity of this Act, issue the necessary
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implementing rules and regulations of this Act.
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Section 
29. 
Congressional 
Oversight 
Committee 
on 
National
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Measurement System. -  The Congressional Oversight Committee on National
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Measurement System (COCNMS) is hereby created and shall be chaired by
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the Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Science and Technology and
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co-chaired by the Chairperson of the Committee of Science and Technology
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of the House of Representatives, with (5) members from the Senate and five
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(5) members from the House of Representatives to be respectively designated
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by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of
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Representatives.
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The Committee shall, in aid of legislation, perform the following
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functions, among others:
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a.) To set the guidelines and overall framework to monitor and ensure
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the proper implementation of this Act;
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b.) To ensure transparency and require the submission of reports from
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government agencies concerned on the conduct of programs,
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projects and policies relating to the Implementation of this Act;
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c.) To submit periodic reports to the President of the Philippines and
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Congress on the implementation of the provisions of this Act;
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d.)To determine inherent weaknesses in the law and recommend
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remedial legislation or executive measures; and
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e.) To perform other duties, functions and responsibilities as may be 
necessaiy to effectively attain the objectives of this Act.
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Section 30. Separability Clause. - If for any reason, any provision of
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this Act is declared unconstitutional, the other sections or provisions hereof
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which are not affected shall continue to be in full force and effect.
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Section 31. Repealing Clause. - Republic Act No. 9236 and all laws,
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decrees, orders, rules and regulations or portions thereof inconsistent with
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this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
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Section 32. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days
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after its complete publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2)
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newspapers of general circulation.
Approved,
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