FOREWORD

The Agricultural Machinery Testing and Evaluation Center (AMTEC), in cooperation

with concerned agencies of the Department of Agriculture (DA), Philippine Society of
Agricultural Engineers (PSAE), Board of Agricultural Engineering of the Professional
Regulation Commission (BOAE-PRC), Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and
Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD), Metals Industry Research and
Development Center (MIRDC), Bureau of Postharvest Research and Extension (BPRE),
Bureau of Product Standards (BPS), Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), National Food
Authority (NFA), Agricultural Machinery Manufacturers and Distributors Association
Foundation, Inc. (AMMDA), Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), International
Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Susi Foundation, Cavite State University (CvSU), Central
Luzon State University (CLSU), De La Salle University (DLSU), and University of the
Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), came out with the publication of three volumes of the
Philippine Agricultural Engineering Standards, PAES I, PAES II and PAES III in particular,
for the year 2000, 2001 and 2002, respectively. PAES I consists of thirty five (35) standards
on production machinery (15), postharvest machinery (11), engineering materials (6), and
agricultural structures (3). PAES II consists of twenty five (25) standards on production
machinery (8), engineering materials (7), and agricultural structures (10). PAES III consists
of twenty two (22) standards on production machinery (7), engineering materials (7) and
agricultural structures (8). The three volumes underwent extensive technical reviews,
circulations, and public hearings conducted by NAFC.

In 2004, AMTEC, together with the different cooperating private and government
agencies, has come out with the fourth volume of the Philippine Agricultural Engineering
Standards (PAES IV). PAES IV consists of standards on production machinery (10) and
postharvest machinery (11). Similarly, PAES IV underwent extensive technical reviews,
circulations, and public hearing conducted by NAFC.

The Department of Agriculture has issued administrative orders adopting these

standards (PAES I, PAES II, PAES III and PAES IV) for agricultural engineering. These
Administrative Orders require all offices of DA, including its regional field units, service
units, bureaus, attached agencies and corporations, to adopt and comply with these standards.
Similarly, PSAE and BOAE-PRC have issued Board Resolutions adopting these standards as
technical standards for the practice of agricultural engineering. These standards shall be used
in the preparation, implementation and monitoring of engineering designs, plans,
specifications and performance of agricultural machinery, materials and structures.
Agricultural engineers shall affix their seal and signature in the above mentioned documents
to signify compliance to these standards.

ARSENIO N. RESURRECCION, Ph.D.

Director
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We would like to express our profound gratitude to the Field Operations Services
(FOS) and the National Agricultural and Fishery Council (NAFC) of the Department of
Agriculture (DA) for providing support to the continuance of agricultural engineering
standards development.

Thanks are also due to the Technical Committee members from the following
institutions: Agricultural Machinery Manufacturers and Distributors Association Foundation,
Inc. (AMMDA), Bureau of Products Standards (BPS), Bureau of Postharvest Research and
Extension (BPRE), National Food Authority (NFA), International Rice Research Institute
(IRRI), Kubota Agro-Industrial Machinery Philippines, Inc (KAMPI), Philippine Rice
Research Institute (PhilRice), Philippine Society of Agricultural Engineers (PSAE), Central
Luzon State University (CLSU) and University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), for
their technical advices and invaluable suggestions and for helping the project staff in
attaining the objectives of the project.

Finally, grateful acknowledgement is rendered to the following private and

government agencies/organizations for their active participation in giving comments,
suggestions and reactions on the draft standards during the public hearing held last 15
October 2004 at NAFC, Quezon City: DA Regional Field Units, Metals Industry Research
and Development Center (MIRDC), National Irrigation Administration (NIA), LandBank of
the Philippines (LBP), Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR), Bureau of Plant Industry
(BPI), Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), Bureau of Soils and Water Management
(BSWM), Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and
Development (PCARRD), Metalworking Industries Association of the Philippines (MIAP),
Laguna Agro-Industrial Machinery Manufacturers Association, Inc. (LAMMA), Richport,
Agri-Component, Sime Darby Philippines Inc., SEACOM Manufacturing, Inc., Alpha
Machinery and Engineering Corporation, TRAMAT Mercantile, Xavier University, Cavite
State University (CvSU), University of Rizal System (URS), Mariano Marcos State
University (MMSU), and Isabela State University (ISU).
 INTRODUCTION

The centerpiece program of the government in poverty alleviation, food security,

rationale use of resources, global competitiveness, and sustainable development is the
Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act (AFMA). A close examination of the major
tenets of AFMA points to a very heavy reliance on the support from the field of agricultural
engineering. Overall, AFMA places high priority on the following agricultural engineering
technologies: irrigation, postharvest, structures, rural electrification, mechanization,
alternative energy, domestic water supply, farm roads and bridges.

In responding to the challenge, sound agricultural engineering principles and practices

are required in the planning, design, construction, operation and optimization of agricultural
engineering technologies, systems and services. At the onset, the availability of Philippine
Agricultural Engineering Standards (PAES) is required to ensure to a great extent the
success of agricultural engineering projects in terms of technical performance.

However, in the Philippines, the development of agricultural engineering standards

has not been given due attention. The practice of agricultural engineering standards has been
based on standards from the US and other countries whose appropriateness to Philippine
conditions have not been verified. At most, what we have locally are Philippine standards for
selected machines such as power tillers, rice threshers, rice mills, corn shellers, and grain
dryers. Philippine standards for irrigation; structures for crops, livestock and fisheries; and
alternative energy are non-existent. And the standards for rural electrification, domestic
water supply, farm roads and bridges are lodged in other engineering fields and not with
agricultural engineering.

Development of standards for agricultural engineering in the Philippines started in the

late 1970’s with the Bureau of Product Standards of the Department of Trade and Industry
creating the Technical Committee on Machinery for agriculture and forestry (BPS/TC56).
Later, BPS/TC56 was replaced by TC 19. In 1990, pursuant to Articles 5 and 6, Chapter I,
Title II of Republic Act No. 7394, otherwise known as the Consumer Act of the Philippines,
standards development and its implementation was identified to three agencies: Department
of Agriculture (agricultural products), Department of Health (drugs, cosmetics, devices and
substances) and Department of Trade and Industry (other products not covered by the two
agencies).

It is stated in Rule 59.1 of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act
No. 8435, otherwise known as Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act of 1997 or
AFMA that AMTEC may be designated by the Department of Agriculture to issue standards
for agriculture and fisheries machinery. On 30 May 2001, the DA Secretary issued
Administrative Order No. 11 series of 2001 stating that standard specifications and test
procedures of agricultural machinery shall be developed. AMTEC, in partnership with the
PSAE and concerned DA agencies, shall be charged with formulation and development of the
official agriculture and fisheries machinery standards. Such standards, to be known as the
“Philippine Agricultural Engineering Standards (PAES)” shall be subjected to public hearings
by the NAFC through its Agricultural and Fisheries Mechanization Committee (AFMeC),
prior to its approval by the Secretary of Agriculture.

There is an urgent need to develop our Philippine Agricultural Engineering Standards.

Existing Philippine National Standards for Agricultural Engineering developed more than 10-
20 years ago must be updated. Pending draft standards must be pursued and become PAES.
Some sections of Philippine National Standards of related engineering fields such as
electrical, civil, chemical, and mechanical engineering must be reviewed and modified for
applicability to agricultural engineering. International standards for agricultural engineering
must be reviewed and modified to suit Philippine conditions. New standards unique to the
needs of AFMA must be written.

The University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), Bureau of Agricultural

Research (BAR), Bureau of Postharvest Research and Extension (BPRE), Philippine Council
for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD),
Professional Regulation Commission – Board of Agricultural Engineers (PRC-BOAE) and
the Philippine Society of Agricultural Engineers (PSAE) upon realization of the dire need for
standards, initiated projects that will develop a set of Philippine Agricultural Engineering
Standards to contribute to agricultural modernization, national development and global
competitiveness. The Agricultural Machinery Testing and Evaluation Center (AMTEC) of
UPLB implemented these projects.

AMTEC came out with the publication of three volumes of the Philippine
Agricultural Engineering Standards, PAES I, PAES II and PAES III for the year 2001, 2002
and 2003, respectively. These three volumes contain 82 standards for production machinery,
postharvest machinery, engineering materials and agricultural structures. DA has adopted
these standards stating that all its offices, including its regional field units, service units,
bureaus, attached agencies, and corporations, to adopt and comply with these standards.
Correspondingly, PSAE and BOAE-PRC have adopted these standards stating that these
standards shall serve as technical reference by all agricultural engineers in the signing and
sealing of plans, designs and specifications, and other related works in the practice of their
profession.

In 2004, AMTEC, with funding from the Department of Agriculture, comes out with
PAES IV containing additional twenty one (21) agricultural engineering standards for
production and postharvest machinery. These standards, which have also undergone
extensive technical review, circulation and public consultation, have been adopted by the
Department of Agriculture and Professional Regulation Commission.
 PREPARATION OF DRAFT STANDARDS
(SECRETARIAT)

REVIEW AND MODIFICATION OF DRAFT STANDARD

(TECHNICAL COMMITTEE)

CIRCULATION AND PUBLIC HEARING OF DRAFT

STANDARD

FINALIZATION OF DRAFT STANDARD

(SECRETARIAT)

RECOMMEND ADOPTION OF STANDARDS RECOMMEND ADOPTION OF STANDARDS

(CAFMECH) (PSAE)

ADOPTION OF PAES ADOPTION OF PAES

(DA) (BOAE-PRC)

PUBLICATION
(SECRETARIAT)

Flow Chart for Development of Standards