FOREWORD

For the year 2000, the Agricultural Machinery Testing and Evaluation Center
(AMTEC) of the College of Engineering and Agro-Industrial Technology (CEAT),
University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), initiated the drafting of thirty five (35)
agricultural engineering standards which includes updating of existing Philippine National
Standards, pursuance of pending draft standards, adoption of international and related
standards from other engineering fields, and formulation of new standards. These standards
include standard terminology, standard specification/application and standard method of test
for agricultural production machinery, postharverst machinery, engineering materials, and
agricultural structures.

These Standards were technically drafted in accordance with PNS 01:Part 4:1998 –
Rules for the Structure and the Drafting of Philippine National Standards. Technical
Committees responsible for reviewing the draft standards were composed of members from
different private and government agencies/institutions. The Technical Committee reviewed
the draft standards taking into account their appropriateness to Philippine conditions. Each
standard was circulated to no less than fifty (50) private and government
agencies/organizations concerned to solicit comments, suggestions and reactions. The draft
standards were presented to the Philippine Society of Agricultural Engineers (PSAE) and
subjected to a public hearing organized by the National Agriculture and Fisheries Council
(NAFC). The comments and reactions received during the presentation and public hearing
were taken into consideration in the finalization of the standards.

The PSAE unanimously passed Resolution No. 25 s. 2001 adopting these standards as
technical standards of the agricultural engineering profession Likewise, the Department of
Agriculture (DA) adopted these standards under Administrative Order No. 10, s. 2002.

These standards shall serve as National Standards for Agricultural Engineering and
shall, hereon, be referred to as Philippine Agricultural Engineering Standards.

ARSENIO N. RESURRECCION, PhD

Director/Project Leader
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We would like to express our profound gratitude to the Bureau of Agricultural

Research (BAR), Bureau of Postharvest Research and Extension (BPRE), and National
Agricultural and Fishery Council (NAFC) of the Department of Agriculture (DA) for
providing financial support to the projects.

Thanks are also due to the Study Teams and Technical Committee members from the
following institutions: Agricultural Machinery Manufacturers and Distributors Association
Foundation, Inc. (AMMDA), Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), Bureau of Products
Standards (BPS), Bureau of Postharvest Research and Extension (BPRE), De La Salle
University (DLSU), International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Kubota Agro-Industrial
Machinery Philippines, Inc (KAMPI), Metalworking Industries Association of the
Philippines (MIAP), National Food Authority (NFA), National Meat Inspection Commission
(NMIC), Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and
Development (PCARRD), Philippine Rice Research Institute (PHILRICE), Philippine
Society of Agricultural Engineers (PSAE), SUSI Foundation, 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 all the private and government

agencies/organizations for their comments, suggestions and reactions on the draft standards.
 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 rice
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 and the Agricultural Machinery Testing and
Evaluation Center (AMTEC) was designated as its official writing office. 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 59.3 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 Standards for Agriculture and Fisheries Machinery” 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 quickly 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 National Standards for
Agricultural Engineering to contribute to agricultural modernization, national development
and global competitiveness. The Agricultural Machinery Testing and Evaluation Center
(AMTEC) of UPLB is implementing these projects.
 Preparation of draft standard by Project
Staff

Review and acceptance of the draft

standard by the Technical Committee

Circulation and public hearing of the

draft standard for comments and
suggestions

Finalization of the draft standard by the

Project Staff and TC

Approval and adoption of the draft

standard as Philippine Agricultural
Engineering Standards (PAES) by the
DA Secretary and the PRC
Commissioner

Flow Chart for Development of Standards