Import quotas and licences are required for certain commodity imports, particularly agricultural products such as grains, corn, and meat products. These agricultural import quotas are also known as MAVs (Minimum Access Volumes).
The Department of Agriculture’s Meat Inspection Service has more information.
Goods subject to physical pre-inspection by the Societe Generale de
Surveillance (SGS) at the port of export are:
- waste materials
- old stocks, i.e. non-current production or old models
- second-hand goods
- substandard materials and descriptions connoting non prime quality, high risk goods
- products that need complex laboratory procedures, i.e. which require extensive testing
- shipments volunteered for inspection at the port of export to take advantage of quick release processes in the ports.
All imports must be accompanied by a “Clean Report of Findings” (CRF), which is issued by the SGS. A CRF can only be granted if the registration number or Import Advice Note and final documents relating to the imports (including final invoice and packing list) have been submitted to the SGS.
The following imports are exempt from the Comprehensive Insurance Security System and do not require a CRF.
- Explosives
- Ammunition
- Arms and equipment and other strategic materials certified as such by the National Defence Force
- Precious stones, artefacts and precious materials
- Fresh, frozen or chilled foodstuff and fruit
- Live animals
- Works of art
- Current newspapers and periodicals
- Parcel post
- Goods with FOB value declared in the LC as less than US$500 or its equivalent in other currencies
- Semiconductor and allied enterprises subject to the qualification requirements of the Board of Investments
- Imports from export processing zones registered with the Philippines Economic Zone Authority
- Equipment, machinery spare parts, and other materials for oil, coal mining and geothermal operations imported by petroleum, geothermal and coal service contractors
- Pre-cut fabrics and accessories for processing into finished garment and textile products for export by firms which have been engaged in garment and textile exports in the last five years
- Imports by enterprises/firms registered with the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority and Clark Special Economic Zone except for shipment bound for duty free shops, outlets or trading warehouses catering to duty free shops or outlets
- All tax and duty exempt shipments including those entered under by Customs Bonded Manufacturing Warehouse.
Tariff rates for individual products can be found in the Philippines tariff schedule, which is available on the ASEAN Secretariat website.
Look up current and phased tariff rates for the agreement establishing the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area. Use the MFAT ASEAN tariff finder.
The Price Tag Law requires price tags or labels to be attached to all goods offered for sale at the retail level.
Barcoding is already used in many retail outlets to but may not be used in lieu of the price tag/label. Barcodes in the Philippines are administered by GS1 Philippines Inc.
The Department of Health through its attached agency the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) requires all imported food and beverages to be registered with the BFAD.
All pre-packaged food should contain mandatory label information such as the name of the food, list of ingredients, contents, drained weight, name and address of manufacturer, packer or importer/distributor, and lot identification code.
The Department of Trade and Industry has further information on policies relating to getting your products into the market.
