A Complete Guide: The Differences Between Philippine BPS and ICC Certifications
The full name is the Import Commodity Clearance Certification Scheme (ICC), and the applicant is generally the foreign importer. According to DAO 5:2008 issued by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), BPS inspects each shipment arriving at the port for importers based on relevant Philippine National Standards or international standards. Only when the goods meet the relevant standards will BPS issue the ICC certificate to the importer. To ensure that products continue to comply with Philippine standards, BPS conducts random market sampling and testing of imported goods.
The full name refers to the Philippine Standard Quality and/or Safety Mark (PS Mark). The applicant is generally a local manufacturer in the Philippines or a foreign importer-manufacturer. According to DAO 04:2008 issued by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), for products requiring mandatory certification, after being reviewed and approved by a PNS-accredited certification body in compliance with Philippine National Standards or internationally accepted foreign standards, the Philippine Bureau of Standards (BPS) will issue the PS certification to the manufacturer. Only with the PS certificate can the manufacturer affix the PS safety mark or PS product quality mark on the product or packaging, allowing the product to enter the market.
ICC Validity Period and Duration:
- Approximately 15 working days after all documents and materials are complete;
(This period does not include warehouse sampling and testing time) - Valid for a single batch;
PS Validity Period and Duration:
- Depends on the quantity and variety of products, generally a 3-4 month period;
- Valid for 1 year and can be renewed annually;
Differences Between ICC and BPS Processes
ICC Process:
Fill out the application form → Submit documents → Document review → Sample testing → Certificate issuance
BPS Process:
Fill out the application form → Sample testing + factory inspection → Report issuance → Report evaluation → Certificate issuance
The difference between ICC and BPS certification lies in:
- Different validity periods
- Different processes
- Different validity periods
The above content summarizes the differences between ICC and BPS compiled by Weitest. If you have any other questions, please feel free to contact our engineers.