A BILL aimed at ending the culture of “puwede na ‘yan,” or having low standards of acceptability in products and services made and offered by Filipinos, passed first reading in the House of Representatives, with the Committee on Trade and Industry approving House Bill 6125, which establishes a “National Quality Policy” in Filipino products and services.
HB6125, entitled the “National Quality Infrastructure Development Act,” aims to ensure high quality and world-class standards in manufacturing Filipino products by strengthening “the Philippine National Quality Infrastructure (NQI) and harmonizing fragmented quality systems to promote competitiveness, consumer welfare, and adherence to international standards.”
“This milestone marks an important step toward guaranteeing that Philippine products and services meet global quality standards and earn the trust of both local and international markets,” said Atty. Nat Oducado of the 1 Tahanan Partylist, among the authors of the said Bill. “We cannot just rely on Filipinos and other nations to buy Pinoy just because it is Pinoy, we must redefine Pinoy-made as synonymous with high quality and world-class.”
The Bill aims for Philippine products and services to not just be globally accepted and earn a reputation for the highest standards of safety and quality but also “promote a national culture of quality among citizens,” guaranteeing that goods are designed, manufactured, and supplied in a manner that matches or exceeds the needs and expectations of consumers, regulators, and markets locally and internationally.
“With this bill, we are laying down a clear and unified framework that will help Filipino businesses compete on equal footing with the best in the world,” Oducado emphasized. “We will raise our standards because we can do better and we deserve better.”
The measure applies to public and private institutions engaged in standards development, accreditation, metrology, conformity assessment, testing, certification, and related quality assurance mechanisms.
“This National Quality Policy is not just a document but a strategic roadmap that defines our National Quality Infrastructure and aligns our standards, accreditation, and measurement systems with global benchmarks,” Oducado explained.
The measure also creates a Philippine National Quality Infrastructure Coordinating Council composed of key government agencies and private sector representatives to formulate national strategies on standardization, accreditation, metrology, and conformity assessment.
“By institutionalizing a coherent and comprehensive National Quality Policy, we are empowering Filipino enterprises to innovate, expand, and thrive while protecting consumers from substandard and unsafe products,” Oducado added.
“This Bill is about raising the bar for Philippine excellence and making sure that when the world sees ‘Made in the Philippines,’ it stands for integrity, reliability, and world-class quality,” Oducado concluded.
