The Philippine Accreditation Bureau (PAB reaffirmed its dedication to regional cooperation and international accreditation standards by actively participating in the Asia Pacific Accreditation Cooperation (APAC) peer evaluations conducted in Thailand and Mongolia.

Peer Evaluation of National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards (ACFS) Bangkok, Thailand (May 17–24, 2025)

Engr. Mary Joan De Pablo (3rd from right), representing PAB as an APAC Peer Evaluator, joins the APAC peer evaluation team and representatives from the National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards (ACFS) in a group photo following the successful conclusion of the accreditation assessment in Bangkok, Thailand.

APAC Peer Evaluator Engr. Mary Joan De Pablo, Supervising Trade-Industry Development Specialist of the Management System Accreditation Division (MSAD), represented PAB in the peer evaluation of the National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards (ACFS) held in Bangkok. The evaluation focused on Food Safety Management System (FSMS) Certification, Inspection, and Product Certification schemes. The multi-national evaluation team comprised representatives from IAS (USA), PAB (Philippines), HKAS (Hong Kong), and DSM (Malaysia).

The evaluation process included preparatory and interim meetings, comprehensive office assessments at ACFS, and witnessing of assessments conducted to ACFS-accredited Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs). Key assessment areas encompassed compliance with ISO/IEC 17011 standards, resource and process adequacy, and personnel competence evaluation procedures. A witnessing assessment was also carried out at TUV Nord (Thailand) Ltd., focusing on FSMS certification.

Peer Evaluation of Mongolian National Authority for Accreditation (MNAS), Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia (May 31–June 7, 2025)

Engr. Mary Joan De Pablo of PAB seeking clarification on evaluation documents from a representative of MNAS during the peer evaluation.

Following the Thailand engagement, Engr. De Pablo also participated as Team Member in the peer evaluation of MNAS. The evaluation team, led by SCC (Canada), included members from PAB, DSM Malaysia, NSC Thailand, NATA Australia, and SLAB Sri Lanka (provisional evaluator).

The comprehensive evaluation assessed MNAS’s adherence to ISO/IEC 17011 standard, ISO/IEC 17025 (Testing & Calibration), ISO/IEC 17065 (Product Certification), ISO/IEC 17020 (Inspection) and management system schemes such as QMS, EMS, FSMS, ISMS, and OHSMS. Activities included detailed office assessments and witnessing assessments at MNAS-accredited bodies: TQCSI Mongolia LLC and SFCS LLC. The process reviewed resource allocation, operational procedures, and personnel competence, with particular attention to assessors, decision-makers, and technical experts.

The evaluation was conducted smoothly with effective cooperation from MNAS staff and communication facilitated by a local interpreter. Findings confirmed MNAS’s strong compliance with international accreditation standards, effective personnel competence management, and a transparent accreditation process.

Members of the peer evaluation team and MNAS officials gather for a commemorative photo marking the conclusion of the accreditation activities in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

As a recognized signatory to the Asia Pacific Accreditation Cooperation (APAC) Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (MLA), PAB is committed to maintaining its active participation in APAC peer evaluations. This continued engagement is essential not only to fulfill PAB’s accreditation obligations but also to foster the exchange of best practices and ensure alignment with other APAC member accreditation bodies. Participation in these evaluations provides PAB peer evaluators with invaluable experience, exposure, and knowledge, which are instrumental in the ongoing review and enhancement of PAB’s accreditation guidelines. Furthermore, such involvement guarantees that PAB assessors are continually equipped with the highest international standards of competence, thereby reinforcing the integrity and credibility of the Philippine accreditation system.

PAB remains dedicated to strengthening regional cooperation and advancing accreditation excellence through sustained involvement in APAC peer evaluations.

Release Date: 30 June 2025.