THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on Wednesday stood by the merits of its proposed mandatory product certification for solar energy systems.
“This is about protecting Filipino consumers from low-quality and potentially unsafe products that may fail after only a short period of use or put homes and establishments at risk,” Trade Secretary Cristina Roque said, noting that the proposed measure will ensure that solar energy products sold in the country must comply with Philippine National Standards.
The certification also aims to prevent substandard or rejected solar products from entering the country.
“By upholding clear quality standards, the government seeks to give Filipinos greater confidence that the solar [power] systems they invest in are durable, properly tested and capable of delivering real savings over the long term,” said Roque.
DTI clarified that the proposed regulation will recognize test reports issued by accredited and recognized testing laboratories. It also won’t cover the installation or mounting of solar energy systems.
Last month, the agency announced it is soliciting feedback from stakeholders on a draft department administrative order requiring solar power systems to comply with the country’s safety and quality standards.
Under the draft order, solar energy components would be required to secure a Philippine Standards safety and quality certification mark before entering the market.
The proposed regulation covers local and foreign manufacturers of inverters, rapid shutdown devices, battery charge controllers, solar photovoltaic (PV) modules, PV cables and battery energy storage systems.
Foreign-sourced solar energy components are required to obtain an import commodity clearance certification mark.
Stakeholders and the general public have until July 25 to submit their position papers, suggestions, comments and recommendations on the proposed rules via email to oasftg@dti.gov.ph.
