Question & AnswerQ&A (DA ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 23, S. 2013)
The primary purpose of DA Administrative Order No. 23, Series of 2013 is to mandate the accreditation of Cold Storage Warehouses (CSW) for agricultural and fishery products nationwide to ensure quality and safety in storage, handling, and preservation.
The AO covers cold storage warehouses for meat and meat products; fish and aquatic products; fruits, vegetables and other plant products; milk and derivatives of milk, eggs; animal feeds; and stationary refrigerated container vans.
Commercial Purposes refers to the use by any corporation, association, society, organization or individual for any fare, fee, charge or other consideration, directly or indirectly with any business or other undertaking intended for profit, regardless of quantity.
The CCSWA is composed of authorized inspectors from the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), and Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI).
Key documentary requirements include a duly accomplished and notarized application form, floor plan/layout, recent photographs of the CSW, business permit, environmental compliance certificate or non-coverage certificate, permit to operate or exemption certificate, sanitary permit, certificate of potability, and official receipt of accreditation fee payment.
Failure to renew on time results in the automatic revocation of the CSW's accreditation.
The CSWCT reviews documents submitted by CCSWA, makes recommendations to its Chairman, issues Certificates of Accreditation or letters of disapproval, investigates violations and recommends penalties, addresses implementation issues, and maintains a list of accredited and non-compliant CSWs.
Individuals, firms, or corporations found violating this Order shall be penalized under all existing relevant laws which are applicable as suppletory to this Order.
The CA is the official government agency with jurisdiction over the commodity and legal mandate to enforce quality and safety laws for agricultural and fishery products; it receives applications, oversees inspection, evaluates CSWs, and issues certificates.
A Provisional Certificate of Accreditation is a temporary accreditation granted for six months to one year, subject to compliance with all conditions and requirements; the CSW must submit a corrective action plan within seven days and the provisional certificate may be revoked for violations.
All imported agricultural and fishery products requiring cold storage must be stored in accredited CSWs as a mandatory requirement for the issuance of Sanitary/Phytosanitary Clearance by all concerned agencies.
The procedure involves submitting a duly accomplished application to the responsible CA, payment of fees, inspection and evaluation by the CCSWA, review and endorsement by the CSWCT, and issuance of Certificate of Accreditation or letter of disapproval by the CSWCT Chairman.
Accreditation fees range from Php 2,600 to Php 3,600 depending on classification and commodity, collected by the respective CAs: NMIS for meat, BAI for animal-related products, BPI for fruits and vegetables, BFAR for fishery products.