Rules on Meat Importation and Inspection

The Order is issued pursuant to PD 1297, as amended by PD 1593.
The Order is issued pursuant to Section 18 paragraph 2 and 4, Chapter 4, Title IV, Book IV of EO No. 292 (Administrative Code of 1987).
The Order is issued pursuant to R.A. 7394 (Consumer Act of the Philippines) to implement R.A. 8178.
The Order is issued in consonance with DA A.O. No. 9, series of 1996 as a government commitment to GATT-WTO.
The Order provides rules for the guidance and compliance of all concerned involved in importing meat and meat products.

Imported meat and meat products must be covered by a VQC to Import before they are imported.
The VQC to Import must be priorly issued and duly approved by the Secretary of Agriculture or the Secretary’s authorized representative.
The Secretary’s approval of the VQC to Import must be made upon the recommendation of the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) as to source and health aspect condition, among others.
Minimum Access Volumes (MAV) importations must be covered by a MAV Import Certificate (MAVIC).
The MAVIC must be duly issued and approved by the MAV Management Committee (MMC) prior to issuance of VQC.
The importation is governed by the requirement that VQC to Import (and, when applicable, MAVIC first) precede the clearance and release process.

All imported meat and meat products are subject to Veterinary Quarantine Inspection, examination and clearance.
The inspection, examination, and clearance are conducted by DA-BAI Veterinary Quarantine personnel assigned at the ports of entry.
The Veterinary Quarantine personnel’s clearance must occur prior to the Bureau of Customs processing and release of the imported goods.

The same imported meat and meat products must be presented for Veterinary inspection, examination, and clearance at the importer’s cold storage/warehouse.
Presentation must occur immediately upon arrival at the importer’s cold storage/warehouse.
The inspection and examination at the importer’s cold storage/warehouse are conducted by NMIC personnel.
The purpose of the NMIC inspection at the cold storage/warehouse is to determine the quality/standard of the imported goods.

The Order deems all Orders, and parts/provisions of existing Orders, that are inconsistent with this Order as repealed, revoked or amended accordingly.
The inconsistent portions cover orders including DA A.O. No. 9 and 23 both series of 1993, S.O. No. 198 series of 1995, and DA A.O. No. 14 series of 1995, including their provisions on NMIC’s function on importation as stipulated in those issuances.
This effect operates to align inspection and clearance processes with the rules established in the Order.