No pesticide shall be imported into the country without the appropriate Certificate Authorizing Importation of Pesticides (CAIPs) issued by FPA.

Processing of import permits by the FPA is based on registration and licensing policies. No importation of locally produced technical grade material and its corresponding finished products is allowed by the FPA. However, the manufacturer is required to submit proof that the price of the technical material locally produced is competitive with the world market price.

Banned pesticides, if procured through importation, shall be transported back to the country of origin. This shall be certified by the Philippine consulate in the receiving country as a proof that such products really arrived. (Greenbook, pp. 88-189, 6.6 Importation).

Prior to the issuance of CAIP to the importing companies, the importer must have first a License to Operate (LTO) as importer and Certificate of Product Registration (CPR).

This particular import licensing procedure covers HS 38.08 – Insecticides, rodenticides, fungicides, herbicides, anti-sprouting products, and plant growth regulators, disinfectants, and similar products, put up in forms or packings for retail sale or as preparations or articles (for example, sulphur-treated bands, wicks and candles, and fly papers).

For purposes of registration, pesticides are grouped based on their nature and use pattern.

a) Chemical Pesticides
1. Agriculture/Home Garden/Turf Use
• Insecticide
• Fungicide
• Herbicide
• Rodenticide
• Avicide
• Nematicide
• Bactericide
• Molluscicide
• Acaricide (Miticide)
• Piscicide
2. Other Pesticides-related Chemicals
(used as is or in combination with others in the formulation)
• Growth regulator
• Defoliant
• Desiccant
• Systemic activator of Resistance
• Wood preservative
• Surfactant/Adjuvant
• Emulsifier, wetting agent, penetrant, synergist
• Manufacturing/Intermediate products
• Agricultural disinfectant

b) Biorational Pesticides
1. Biochemical pest control agents
• Semiochemical (pheromone, kairomone, allomone)
• Hormone
• Natural plant regulator
• Enzyme
2. Microbial pest control agents
• Bacterium
• Fungus
• Protozoa
• Virus
3. Plant-incorporated protectants (PIP)
• Single
• Combined/Stacked

The requirement applies to pesticide products/technical materials originating from all countries and the prospective importers decide from what country they wish to import provided the product is registered with the FPA.

There is no restriction based on the quantity of importation, however, if the product/active ingredient is for experimental use only, the quantity must not exceed on the amount needed for experimental trial/s.

The requirement for importation is covered by Pesticide Circular No. I, Series of 1981.

The application for CAIP must be apply 60 days or earlier before the estimated time of arrival (ETA) of the imported product/technical material.

Depending on the urgency of the request and the completeness of the submitted requirements, CAIP/Certification could be granted immediately for emergency purposes only.

Applications may be filed on any working day of the year.

Licensing applications are considered by a single administrative office, the Pesticide Regulations Division (PRD) of Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority, FPA Building, BAI Compound, Visayas Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City, Manila 1101.

In the event of denial or disapproval by the pertinent administrative body of an application for import license, the applicant is given the right to make a written appeal for reconsideration of the decision.

Only local companies registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to do business in the Philippines and with registered pesticide product/active ingredients may apply for a license to the FPA. (Please refer to Greenbook pp. 12; 2.2)

What information is required in applications?

For licensing of pesticide importer-distributor the information required in Application Form No. FPA PRD FORM NO. P-150 (https://fpa.da.gov.ph/NW/images/FPAfiles/DATA/PesticideAppsForm/2020/Agricultural-Pesticide-Importer-indentor-exporter-license.pdf) are the following: type of Application for Agricultural Pesticide Importer / Indentor / Exporter License (Conventional, Plant Incorporated Protectant (PIP), New, Renewal); Company information (Business Name of the Applicant, address, TIN number, Telephone number); Capitalization, Mechanism of the payment, type of activity, Pesticide imported (formulated, technical, name and address of the supplier); In country major warehouse point(s) (Name of warehouse/address, capacity); Form and package of imported material to be passed on to immediate recipient (as is, repacked, technical material, formulated products); Name of Accredited Responsible Care Officer (ARCO) attach photocopy of Accreditation ID (Name of ARCO, expiry date); Applicant's email address.

For the licensing of pesticide manufacturer/formulator/extruder, the information required in Application Form No. FPA PRD FORM NO. P-110
(https://fpa.da.gov.ph/NW/images/FPAfiles/DATA/PesticideAppsForm/2020/Agricultural-Pesticide-Formulator-Manu-Ext-license.pdf) are the following: type of Application for manufacturer/formulator/extruder (Conventional, Plant Incorporated Protectant (PIP), New, Renewal); Company information (Business Name of the Applicant, address, TIN number, Telephone number); Capitalization, Address of Formulation / Manufacturing / Extrusion Plant, Environmental Compliance Certificate No. / Permit to Operate No. / Expiry Date, List of Pesticides Formulated / Manufactured / Extruded (product, formulation type, product owner, volume/year); Formulation Capability Rated Capacity, No. of Employees, Area of Compound, Location of Plant, Occupational / Safety Arrangements, Technical Staff: Name, PRC License No., Plant Manager PRC license number, Formulation Chemist PRC license number, Quality Control Chemist PRC license number, Name and Address of Laboratory, Name of Accredited Responsible Care Officer (ARCO); Applicant's email address.

For the licensing of pesticide repacker, the information required in Application Form No. FPA FORM NO. P-120 (https://fpa.da.gov.ph/NW/images/FPAfiles/DATA/PesticideAppsForm/2020/Agricultural-Pesticide-Repacker-License.pdf) are the following: type of Application for repacker (Conventional, Plant Incorporated Protectant (PIP), New, Renewal); Company information (Business Name of the Applicant, address, TIN number, Telephone number); Capitalization, Address of Repacking Plant, Environmental Compliance Certificate No./Permit to Operate No./Expiry Date, Repacking Set-Up and Equipment, Rated Capacity, No. of Employees, List of Pesticides Products Repacked (product, repacking type, formulation type, importer/distributor); Information regarding the usage of brand name, In-charge of affixing or attaching the labels of repacked products (brand/label owner or repacker), Source of labels brand/label owner or repacker), Occupational/Safety Arrangements, Location of Plant, Area of Compound, Technical Staff: Name, PRC License No. (Plant Manager, , Quality Control Chemist) , Name of Accredited Responsible Care Officer (ARCO); Applicant's Email Address.

For pesticide product registration the data and information required in FPA FORM NO. P-022 for the product and FPA FORM NO. P-012 for active ingredient.
(https://fpa.da.gov.ph/NW/images/FPAfiles/DATA/PesticideAppsForm/2020/Registration-Pesticide-Product.pdf)
(https://fpa.da.gov.ph/NW/images/FPAfiles/DATA/PesticideAppsForm/2020/Registration-Pesticide-Active-Ingredient.pdf)

a) For the product, this shall include the following: Name and address of applicant, brand name, name of active ingredient and percent purity, formulation (% active ingredient and type); registration applied for: (new, new/tpa, renewal, resubmission); Use category (insecticide, herbicide, fungicide, others); name and address of manufacturer, name and address of formulator, packaging sizes, proposed use (crop/s, pest/s, A.I/HA [kg or Li], recommended dosage TBB/16Li[10CCT/BTS], product/ha[kg or li]); applicants representative (name, title, signature) and email address.

b) For the active ingredient, this shall include the following: Name and address of the applicant, active ingredient (common name and purity), chemical type, name and address of manufacturer, registration applied for (new, new/tpa, renewal, resubmission); proposed formulation(s) and composition (brand names of each); use category (insecticide, fungicide, herbicide and other); applicant’s representative (name, title, signature) and email address.

Application of Registration

Any person may file for registration of pesticide, which must be in the prescribed form addressed to the Authority and under oath, containing complete and detailed information.

Only local companies registered by the Securities and Exchange Commission to do business in the Philippines and duly licensed by the FPA may apply for registration of pesticide products. For purposes of these guidelines, a local company is a juridical person created under the Philippine law and licensed to do business in the country. Companies operating in the Philippines under PD 218 are excluded in this definition. Foreign suppliers or companies registered under the Securities and Exchange Commission as regional liaison offices (PD218) are not allowed to register products. For pesticides, the applicant or registrant should be the distributor or the local subsidiary of a foreign-based pesticide company.

A separate application shall be filed for each formulated product and active ingredient as well as for each source of the active ingredient.

For Experimental Use Permit (EUP)
Application form FPA Form No. P-002
(https://fpa.da.gov.ph/NW/images/FPAfiles/DATA/PesticideAppsForm/2020/EUP.pdf)
shall include the following: Name and address of the applicant, product name, name of active ingredient & % purity, name and address of manufacturer of A.I, formulation % A.I. & type, use category (insecticide, herbicide, fungicide, others); crop(s) and target pest(s), total area covered by trial, total amount of A.I. equivalent/formulation needed, duration of trial, location of experiment, name of researcher, address of institution, applicants representative (name, title, signature, email address).

Table 2.2 of the FPA “Manual on Pesticide Regulatory Policies and Implementing Guidelines” provides the technical data requirements for issuance of the pesticide registration or EUP.

Tables

For CAIP requirements: Pesticide Circular No. 1, Series of 1981, the following are the lists of requirements for importation of pesticides:

1. The importer must be licensed by the FPA.
2. The pesticide product(s) and active ingredient(s) must bear a registration, or covered by the appropriate Experimental Use Permit (EUP).
3. The following must be specified in the request for importation:
i) Product, specifying % purity if technical material or active ingredient if formulated product
ii) Unit price
iii) Quantity
iv) Payment terms
v) Country of origin
vi) Destination
vii) Carrier/vessel
4. The pro-forma invoice must be attached. This shall enable the FPA to correlate the source of supply to the registration of the product.
5. The bill of lading, which verifies that the above transaction transpired at the term(s) and price(s) stated on the pro-forma invoice must be attached to the subsequent request for importation.
All unused Import Certificates must be returned to the FPA at the end of each quarter.

What documents is the importer required to supply with the application?

For licensing of pesticide importer-distributor Upon application for license, importers are required to submit/accomplish the following:

a) For New Applications:

1.Duly accomplished and notarized application form (original copy) with documentary stamps required.
2. For:
i) Corporation/Partnership - Copy of SEC Registration and Articles of incorporation
ii) Cooperative - Copy of CDA Registration.
iii) Single Proprietorship - Copy of Certificate of Registration of Business Name with DTI
3. Copy of latest Income Tax Return (ITR) and Financial Statements (FR).
4. Distributorship agreement/certification from the pesticide supplier/s.
5. Recommendation / Inspection Report from FPA Regional / Provincial Officer.
6. Registration of Pesticide Warehouse/s.
7. Photocopy of Accredited Responsible Care Officer (ARCO) ID.
8. Product Registration of pesticides to be sold. (Photocopy of Certificate of Product Registration (CPR) / Signed list of approved pesticide products).
9. Contract / Certification with the Manufacturer / Supplier.
10. Photocopy of Certificate of Attendance of one (1) symposium – Renewal ID.
11. Schedule of fees.

b) For renewal of license

1. Duly accomplished and notarized application form (original copy) with documentary stamps required.
2. For:
i) Corporation/Partnership - Copy of SEC Registration and Articles of incorporation
ii) Cooperative - Copy of CDA Registration.
iii) Single Proprietorship - Copy of Certificate of Registration of Business Name with DTI
3. Copy of latest Income Tax Return (ITR) and Financial Statements (FR).
4. Distributorship agreement/certification from the pesticide supplier/s.
5. Recommendation / Inspection Report from FPA Regional / Provincial Officer.
6. Registration of Pesticide Warehouse/s.
7. Photocopy of Accredited Responsible Care Officer (ARCO) ID.
8. Product Registration of pesticides to be sold. (Photocopy of Certificate of Product Registration (CPR) / Signed list of approved pesticide products).
9. Photocopy of Certificate of Attendance of one (1) symposium – Renewal ID.
10. Schedule of fees.

A license good for one year shall be issued upon approval of application.

For pesticide manufacturer/formulator/extruder and repacker

Requirements for the licensing of pesticide manufacturer / formulator / extruder and repacker

1. Duly accomplished and notarized application form (original copy) with documentary stamps.
2. For:
i) Corporation/Partnership - Copy of SEC Registration and Articles of incorporation
ii) Cooperative - Copy of CDA Registration.
iii) Single Proprietorship - Copy of Certificate of Registration of
Business Name with DTI
3. Copy of latest Income Tax Return (ITR) and Financial Statements (FS).
4. Copy of Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) and Permit to Operate (PTO) with DENR.
5. Production Process / Flow Chart.
6. Recommendation and Inspection Report from FPA Regional / Provincial Officer.
7. Written authority to repack / formulate / extrude / manufacture from the supplier.
8. Pre-licensing inspection report by the Pesticide Audit Team.
9. Registration of Pesticide Warehouse/s.
10. Photocopy of Accredited Responsible Care Officer (ARCO) ID.
11. Product registration of pesticide to be sold.
12. Compliance of FPA Manual on Occupational and Technical Safety of Pesticides manufacturing, formulation, repacking and extrusion plant.
i) Occupational Health and Safety Program (OHSP)
ii) Medical Health Examinations of Workers
13. Photocopy of Certificate of Attendance of one (1) symposium - Renewal ID.
14. Annual Capacity Output.
15. Schedule of fees

A license good for one year shall be issued upon approval of application.

For pesticide product registration

A complete application (submitted in duplicate) which consists of:

a) Form for registrant of an active ingredient (P-012) or registration of a Pesticide Product (P-022)
b) Complete data required to support the registration requested as specified in SECTION III of the Guidelines, particularly Table 2.2 on Data Requirements, with a certification that they comply with good scientific practice, GLP’s and test protocols.
c) A summary of the data submitted and an applicant’s assessment of how these data support registration for the purpose, uses and directions for use in the draft label.
d) Proof of registration in other countries where relevant.
e) Dummy label text.
f) A sample of the material to be registered must be submitted prior to registration unless the applicant presents convincing reason to the FPA as to why these should not be submitted at that time. The following must accompany an application: 1g analytical grade of the active ingredient(s). 10g technical material and 500ml or 0.500kg of the formulation.
g) Reviews of data done by other countries of international organizations, if available.
h) The appropriate fee.
i) Any authorization necessary to cite previously submitted data.

Data must be submitted in the standard 8 ½ x 14 paper, indexed and bound separately, i.e. one folder for each of the following sets of data: Specifications, Bioefficacy, Toxicology and Residues/ Environment Fate. The dummy label must appear as the first entry in each folder. Any additional data required must also be submitted as prescribed. Submission that does not follow these requirements shall not be accepted.

For Experimental Use Permit (EUP)

For experimental samples to be imported pesticide, an FPA-approved Experimental Use Permit (EUP) is required.
a) Accomplished application form
b) Technical data requirements
c) Application for a company license as Importer-National Distributor/End-user

Table 2 of the FPA "Manual on Pesticide Regulatory Policies and Implementing Guidelines" provides the technical data requirements for issuance of the pesticide registration or EUP.

Table 2.2

Data Requirement for the Registration and Experimental Uses of All Pesticide Products

(See Page 52-61 of the FPA Greenbook)

Note: Special pen and field studies may be required depending upon uses, formulation and results of above studies.

Note: Residue data may also be required for inerts which are not provided a general exception or generally regarded as safe. Above residue data not required for EUP on a crop-destruct basis.

Note: EUP labels may be typewritten and need to contain product identification warnings and precautions for storage, use and disposal, symptoms and signs of poisoning, first aid procedures and medical treatment.

For CAIP requirements: Pesticide Circular No. 1, Series of 1981, the following are the lists of requirements for importation of pesticides:

1. The importer must be licensed by the FPA.
2. The pesticide product(s) and active ingredient(s) must bear a registration, or covered by the appropriate Experimental Use Permit (EUP).
3. The following must be specified in the request for importation:
4. i) Product, specifying % purity if technical material or active ingredient if formulated product
5. ii) Unit price

iii) Quantity

1. iv) Payment terms
2. v) Country of origin
3. vi) Destination

vii) Carrier/vessel

4. The pro-forma invoice must be attached. This shall enable the FPA to correlate the source of supply to the registration of the product.
5. The bill of lading, which verifies that the above transaction transpired at the term(s) and price(s) stated on the pro-forma invoice must be attached to the subsequent request for importation.

All unused Import Certificates must be returned to the FPA at the end of each quarter.

Documents necessary prior to the issuance of Certificate Authorizing Importation of Pesticides (CAIP) are the following:

(a) The following must be specified in the request letter for importation:
• Product, specifying % purity if technical material or active ingredient and concentration if formulated product
• Unit price
• Quantity
• Payment terms
• Country of origin
• Destination
• Carrier/vessel
• Brokers Name and TIN number
(b) The pro-forma invoice must be attached. This shall enable the FPA to correlate the source of supply to the registration product.
(c) Photocopy of Certificate of Product Registration (CPR) / appropriate Experimental Use Permit (EUP).
(d) Photocopy of License to Operate (LTO)
(e) The bill of lading, which verifies that the above transaction transpired at the term(s) and price(s) stated on the pro-forma invoice, must be attached to the subsequent request for importation.

Is there any licensing fee or administrative charge?

Yes

What is the amount of the fee or charge?

Schedule of fees for licensing:

A. Filing fee/activity for new applications
1. Pesticide Manufacturer, Formulator, Repacker,
Institutional Users - ₱7,500.00
Other Activities - ₱2,000.00
B. License Fees - For pesticide Handlers based on the company's capitalization
Annually (subscribed/paid-up capital plus retained earnings)
1. Over ₱5M capitalization
1st activity - ₱8,500.00
Succeeding activities - ₱5,000.00
2. Over ₱1M to ₱5M capitalization
1st activity - ₱5,500.00
Succeeding activities - ₱4,000.00
3. Over ₱500T to ₱1M capitalization
1st activity - ₱4,000.00
Succeeding activities - ₱2,000.00
4. ₱500T and below capitalization
1st activity - ₱2,000.00
Succeeding activities - ₱1,000.00
C. Pest Control Operator (Annually) - ₱1,200.00
D. Accreditation fee for CPA (Annually) - ₱600.00
E. Warehouse (Annually)
• Pesticide - ₱2,000.00
• Both Fertilizer and Pesticide - ₱2,400.00

Schedule of fees for Agricultural Pesticide Registration
A. New Application – Filing fee
Active Ingredient - ₱4,500.00
Product - ₱3,000.00
B. Conditional Registration/Renewal (Annually)
Product
Category 1 & 2 - ₱5,000.00
Category 3 & 4 - ₱3,000.00
Active Ingredient
Category 1 & 2 - ₱7,000.00
Category 3 & 4 - ₱5,000.00
C. Full Registration/Renewal (three years validity)
Product
Category 1 & 2 - ₱15,000.00
Category 3 & 4 - ₱7,000.00
Active Ingredient
Category 1 & 2 - ₱20,000.00
Category 3 & 4 - ₱15,000.00
D. Submission of Additional Data - ₱4,000.00
E. EUP Application/Protocol/Crop/Season
I-A & B - ₱1,500.00
II & III - ₱3,000.00
F. Label/Expansion/Crop - ₱3,000.00

For CAIP Processing and Issuance Fee:
• General Use - ₱750.00
• Red labelled & Restricted Use - ₱3,000.00
Amendment Certification - ₱750.00
Export Permit - ₱1,500.00
All other Certification - ₱350.00

There is no deposit or advance payment requirement associated with the issuance of licenses.

The validity of CAIP is only 60 days starting on the date indicated, however, if the shipment is delayed, they can re-apply for CAIP amendment for their shipment date.

For pesticide importers, approved license shall be valid for one year. Application for renewal filed within one after its expiry date shall be subject to a 50% surcharge while those filed after the said period shall be subjected to a 100% surcharge.

All unused CAIPs must be returned to the FPA at the end of each quarter.