NCC dare taken, stronger NQI pushed

In response to the challenge of Guillermo Luz, co-chair of the National Competitiveness Council or NCC (Inquirer, 5/21/11),  PhilMSTQ Inc. herewith expresses its support for the NCC programs to raise the competitiveness ranking of our country.

PhilMSTQ is a non-profit professional organization advocating the establishment of a stronger National Quality Infrastructure (NQI) or technical infrastructure for the Metrology-Standards-Testing-Quality (MSTQ) system in the country – to achieve global competitiveness.

We stand for:

* The formulation of standards by the Bureau of Product Standards-Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Agriculture and Department of Health for local products and processes, harmonized with international standards, and translated to local technical regulations.
* The accreditation of local laboratories to ISO/IEC17025, the international standard for laboratory testing, so that products tested in ISO 17025-accredited laboratories and the use of the services of accredited laboratories by national competent authorities that issue certifications for exported products will be accepted in the global market.

* Enhanced capability of the National Metrology Laboratory at the Department of Science and Technology to ensure that local measurements are traceable to international system of measurement units and are comparable with measurements done in other countries.
* The accreditation of certifying bodies for product quality, management quality, food safety quality and environment quality by the Philippine Accreditation Office according to international requirements of quality standards.
PhilMSTQ believes that one way we can improve our competitiveness is by putting in our country a system of accreditation and certification that will ensure that measurements and testing of our products and services will guarantee that the quality of our products and services are internationally acceptable. This quality infrastructure will help attract potential investors to produce Philippine products that can compete in the global market.

We strongly support the NCC in facing the challenges to improve our competitiveness, para sa bayan!

—DR. EVANGELINE C. SANTIAGO,

president, PhilMSTQ Inc.,

c/o Pipac, Ateneo de

Manila University,

Loyola Heights, Quezon City