DTI to issue guidelines for vape product certi cation

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is set to issue supplemental guidelines for the mandatory certification of vape products next month.

In a press briefing, Trade Assistant Secretary Amanda Nograles said a public consultation was conducted yesterday on the supplemental guidelines on the technical regulations for the mandatory certification of vape products.

“We will collate the comments and release (the supplemental guidelines) by next month,” Nograles said.

According to Nograles, the memorandum circular (MC) on the supplemental guidelines is being issued as the mandatory registration and certification of vape products under Republic Act 11900 or the Vape Law is set to take effect in June.

This means that manufactured or imported vape products should have the Philippine Standard (PS) mark or Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) sticker by June this year.

Products with the PS mark or ICC sticker are those found by the DTI to conform with relevant Philippine National Standards on quality and safety.

Likewise, products covered by the mandatory product certification schemes should bear the PS mark or ICC sticker before being distributed in the local market.

Nograles said the MC to be issued covers supplemental guidelines as the DTI already issued guidelines on the mandatory product certification of vaporized nicotine and non-nicotine products through Department Administrative Order 22-06 in 2022.

As the order was issued before the Vape Law took effect, she said there is a need to align how the certification will be done.

From June this year until January 2025, she said those with existing vape products in the market would be allowed to sell their stocks.

“By January (2025), we will have the market clearing period. Products without PS mark or ICC will no longer be allowed,” she said.

Nograles said the DTI has also written a letter to the Bureau of Customs, stating that the release of shipments of vape products without a certificate of conditional release from the DTI should no longer be allowed starting February.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has teamed up with US-based Plug and Play to help Filipino startups scale up.

ÒPlug and Play will serve as a bridge between startups and large corporations, facilitating collaborations and partnerships, and providing access to funding opportunities,Ó Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual said during the launch of the National Startup Accelerator program.

Plug and Play co-founder Jojo Flores told reporters the companyÕs role under the partnership is to facilitate the accelerator program.

The US-based company builds competitive startups and future enterprises through its network of innovation centers across 50 major locations worldwide.

DFNN Inc. is also playing a role in the program as a partner for testing products of incubating companies and for contributing seed funding for startups.

ÒOur target is to have at least 40 startups per year that will go through the acceleration program,Ó Flores said.

Flores said the program would bring together industries such as the information technology-business process outsourcing, as well as electronics assembly to identify problems and opportunities.

ÒEssentially, we want to get the problem statements. Based on those problem statements, we bring the startup, the best startups that can build the solutions,Ó he said.

According to Flores, the 40 startups will be showcased to the global investment community to be given the opportunity to attract investments from venture capital firms.

Pascual said the PhilippinesÕ young, educated and tech-savvy population, along with the government and private sectorÕs support makes the country a rising startup hub in Asia.

The DTI chief said the government has also approved legislative measures such as the Philippine Innovation Act, the Innovative Startup Act and the Tatak Pinoy Law to encourage startups and local industries to produce more sophisticated products and further elevate the countryÕs global value chain position.

ÒHopefully, with Plug and PlayÕs participation and partnership we will be able to accelerate the process,Ó Pascual said.

Pascual said the partnership with Plug and Play would help advance the countryÕs inclusive innovation and entrepreneurship agenda.

He added that there are currently over 1,000 startups in Manila collectively valued at approximately $3.5 billion.