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QUEZON CITY, March 1, 2022 – The Operations Manual of the Fertilizer Pesticide Authority has finally been published today. It was submitted to Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary William D. Dar and Undersecretary Roldan G. Gorgonio for Administration and Finance on February 28 in compliance with their directives.

The Operations Manual (OM) sets forth the standard operating procedures in the issuance of license, registrations and permits for fertilizer, pesticide, and other agricultural chemicals. This is the culmination of the strategic decision of FPA to integrate the Citizen’s Charter and the Quality Manual into this document allowing FPA to have single point of reference to assess its operations and employees/staff performance.

Executive Director Wilfredo C. Roldan is happy with the collaborative effort of FPA employees to come up with the OM. “Let me especially acknowledge Dr. Myer Mula for shepherding the production of the Manual and hopefully this will serve as a testament of our resolve to serve our stakeholders better, promote transparency and good governance”, Dir. Roldan said.

Meanwhile, Dr. Mula, Deputy Executive Director for Fertilizer, ascribes the finalization of the Operations Manual to FPA’s commitment to empower the stakeholders in the fertilizer and pesticide industry. “This document shall bind the institution and the Filipino farmers and fishers to the brand of service that FPA delivers — to keep the industry safe, responsible, and pro-people.,” Dr. Mula stated.

The OM is the product of two workshops whose objective is to update the existing Operations Manual which entailed a review of the internal operations of FPA, including the formulation of a Strategy Map and Balanced Scorecard. This was held on November 8-9 and November 15-16, 2021.

QUEZON CITY, February 21, 2022. The Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA) is mandated to register fertilizer products under Section 9 of Presidential Decree No. 1144 specific to fertilizers, which states that “No fertilizer, or other agricultural chemical shall be exported, imported, manufactured, formulated, stored distributed, sold or offered for sale, transported, delivered for transportation or used unless it has been duly registered with the FPA or covered by a numbered provisional permit issued by FPA for use in accordance with the conditions as stipulated in the permit. Separate registrations shall be required for each fertilizer grade.”

Aligned with this mandate, Department Circular (DC) No. 1, Series of 2022 titled “General Guidelines on the Registration of New Fertilizer Products with Required Bioefficacy Trial and Mandatory Publication of the Bioefficacy Trial Terminal Report” provides the requirements and procedures for the registration of new fertilizer products and ensures that the registered products are compliant with the Implementing Rules and Regulations of Presidential Decree No. 1114, the FPA Regulatory Policies and Implementing Guidelines, and the Food Safety Act of 2013.

The guidelines were developed and subjected to a review process with the purpose to further protect our farmers, consumers, and stakeholders.

The DC was signed by Secretary Dar on February 16, 2022, and was published at the Official Gazette at the University of the Philippines Law Center, Diliman, Quezon City on February 18, 2022. Other provisions of the DC is to conduct the bioefficacy trial into two cropping seasons (wet and dry) and mandatory publication of the technical report either in scientific bulletins, or research journals by the government or private institutions or academes.

The Circular shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following the complete publication in the Official Gazette and to archive with the National Administrative Register of the University of the Philippines Law Center. 

CAGAYAN DE ORO, February 22, 2022 – The FPA Provincial Officer for Misamis Oriental, Romnick Boctot, verified 6,000 MT of urea (46-0-0) imports which arrived at Cagayan de Oro Port today. The Quality Grains and Feeds Corp., a FPA-registered fertilizer handler, imported it from Vietnam.

Led by Supervising Agriculturist Sonia Calleja, The RFU X monitored the said activity to avoid mishandling and compromise the fertilizer quality. Upon inspection, the imports passed the standard weight measurement. Mr. Boctot also collected samples for confirmatory analysis to be done by Laboratory Services Division.

The inspection was part of the relentless efforts of FPA to ensure the public of adequate supply of quality fertilizer.

QUEZON CITY, February 24, 2022 – The Department of Agriculture (DA) – Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA) through the Fertilizer Regulations Division (FRD) called to increase fertilizer nutrient content for product registration and announced new policies to improve national and regional regulatory service processes.

In pursuit of continuous fertilizer product quality standard improvements, with the Agency’s regional units, Laboratory Services Division (LSD), and Field Operations Coordinating Unit (FOCU), the FRD spearheaded an online meeting to discuss updates on new policies and improve registration processes efficiency among its support units.

Present in the online meeting was FRD Chief Julieta Lansangan along with other agriculturists from the FRD, regional and provincial field units, as well as representatives from the LSD and the FOCU held on February 16, 2022.

Confirmatory analysis results from routine field monitoring activities of FPA regional units on registered fertilizer products show low results of total nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK) content.  This translates to ineffective inputs for agricultural use, which is further corroborated by reports from Regions II and III by Regional Officers Leonardo Bangad and Val Suguitan, respectively, of substandard products being used by farmers.

In response, Ms. Lansangan presented a proposal to implement a minimum standard for NPK content of both local and imported inorganic fertilizers.  This new requirement is seen to prevent substandard products from being registered by the FPA and used by the farmers.

Further, the division discussed new policies on wastewater reuse certification for fertilizer, and the publishing of bioefficacy trial reports of products for registration, all of which are proposed amendments in the regulatory implementing guidelines.  The transfer of the issuance of wastewater reuse certification from the DA regional offices to FPA, in compliance with Department of Agriculture Administrative Order No. 11, Series of 2019 aims to provide better quality to our stakeholders in response to new research findings and recent developments. While the publishing of terminal reports to public or private journals will allow the public or other interested parties to evaluate the efficacy of the tested fertilizer products.

To promote clients’ convenience and reduce the number of processes for laboratory analysis procedure of fertilizer samples in acquiring product licenses, LSD Chemist IV Mr. Angelo Bugarin suggested allowing clients to take samples directly to the laboratories. However, to secure the integrity of the samples, as a control measure, standardized packaging will be implemented.

As for the FOCU, two new regulations aiming to standardize procedures for the field unit’s monitoring activities will be implemented. To promote transparency, a memorandum circular on placing price tags for fertilizer in Region 1 and the disposition of stop use, stop move, stop sale, and hold (SUMS) order will be put into action. 

The Fertilizer Regulations Division is a vital unit of the FPA that is responsible for regulating the licensing of fertilizer handlers, the registration of fertilizer products, and the issuance of permits, according to PD 1144, for the improved quality of life for all Filipinos through increased farm incomes, productivity and food production using safe and appropriate fertilizers. 

Sources: Julieta B. Lansangan, Chief, Fertilizer Regulations Division (FRD) FPA-FRD and RFU 

KIDAPAWAN CITY, February 24, 2022. Deputy Executive Director for Pesticide Eric C. Divinagracia encouraged participants of the ASD Training here to always conduct their business with integrity, compassion, and the farmers’ plight in mind.

“As pesticide handlers, we are part of the agriculture ecosystem, and as such we should always bear in mind that our ultimate goal is to become enablers of agricultural productivity by selling quality fertilizer and pesticides at reasonable prices for the benefit of our farmers,” Dir. Divinagracia explained.

Led by its Regional Officer, Ms. Alita Bornea, FPA Regional Field Unit XII initiated this training for Accredited Safety Dispenser (ASD) Training held at HOF Mansion Inn, Balindog, Kidapawan City, Cotabato on February 9, 2022.

Sixty-one (61) individual business operators and personnel of dealer stores selling fertilizer and agricultural pesticides were present. Resource speakers discussed proper soil management and pesticide application.

The safe and judicious use, handling, and storage of agricultural pesticides were discussed by Ms. Jennie Basilio, Agriculturist II. She reiterated the importance of proper handling of pesticides because of its toxic and dangerous nature.  

In addition, Joey Pascua, Agriculturist II based in Kidapawan, emphasized the proper use and storage of fertilizer, including the proper quantity of fertilizer to maximize its impact on the plant’s nutrition levels.

The Pesticide Poisoning & First Aid and Good Housekeeping principles were explained by Mr. Cherubin Alonzo, Agriculturist II.  Lastly, the FPA-Governing Rules and Regulation was presented by another Agriculturist II, Ms. Maricel Tabigue.

On the other hand, Ms. Catherine Sumagaysay, Product Stewardship Manager of Syngenta Philippines Inc. explained the Mode of Action and Insecticide Resistance Management. Resistance can be developed when the same pesticide or similar ones with the same mode of action is used repeatedly.

The training is a regular activity of the field units to ensure the proper handling and effective use of fertilizer and pesticides.  ###