WHEREAS, Articles 5, 6 and 7, Chapter I, Title II of R.A. 7394 (Consumer Act of the Philippines) mandates the following agencies to develop and enforce standards: Department of Agriculture (DA) on agricultural products; Department of Health (DOH) on drugs, cosmetics devises and substances; and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on other products not covered by DA and DOH;

WHEREAS, the DA, pursuant to Section 59 of R.A. 8559 (Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act) and Section 2, Chapter I, Title IV (Agriculture), Book IV of EO No. 292 of 1987, is responsible for the promotion and regulation of agricultural machinery;

WHEREAS, the development and enforcement of agricultural engineering standards is vital and necessary in ensuring safety, functional efficiency and economic viability of agricultural and fishery machinery and other agricultural engineering projects of the DA;

WHEREAS, the DA, through Administrative Orders (AO) No. 10, series of 2002, No. 6 series of 2003 and No. 11, series of 2003, has adopted the Philippine Agricultural Engineering Standards Volume I, series of 2000 (PAES I), Volume II, series of 2001 (PAES II) and Volume III, series of 2002 (PAES III), and has required all DA-OSEC services, bureaus, attached agencies and regional field units to comply with the said standards;

WHEREAS, the DA had entered a Memorandum of Agreement with the University of the Philippines Los Banos for the continuation of the development of agricultural engineering standards which shall be undertaken by the Agricultural Machinery Testing and Evaluation Center (AMTEC);

WHEREAS, twenty one (21) additional agricultural standards have been developed by the DA and the UPLB comprising the Philippine Agricultural Engineering Standards Volume IV, series of 2004, and have undergone extensive technical reviews, circulation and public hearing conducted by NAFC;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, ARTHUR C. YAP, Secretary of Agriculture, pursuant to Section 3, paragraph 3, Chapter I, Title IV, Book IV of EO 292 of 1987 and in view of the foregoing do hereby order the following:

SECTION 1. Adoption of PAES IV, series of 2004 - The following twenty one agricultural engineering standards, attached as Annex "A" are hereby adopted as the Philippine Agricultural Engineering Standards Volume IV, series of 2004:

1. Moldboard Plow-Specifications (PAES 131:2004)
2. Disc/Moldboard Plow-Method of Test (PAES 132:2004)
3. Disc Harrow-Method of Test (PAES 133: 2004)
4. Furrower-Specifications (PAES 134:2004)
5. Furrower-Methods of Test (PAES 135:2004)
6. Agricultural Trailer-Specifications (PAES 136:2004)
7. Agricultural Trailer-Methods of Test (PAES 137:2004)
8. Guidelines on After-Sales Service - Specifications (PAES 138: 2004)
9. Roll-Over Protective Structure - Specifications (PAES 139:2004)
10. Roll-Over Protective Structure-Methods of Test (PAES 140:2004)
11. Rice Reaper - Specifications (PAES 212:2004)
12. Rice Reaper - Methods of Test (PAES 213:2004)
13. Rubber Roll for Rice Mill-Specifications (PAES 214:2004)
14. Rubber Roll for Rice Mill-Methods of Test (PAES 215:2004)
15. Hammer Mill-Specifications (PAES 216:2004)
16. Hammer Mill -Methods of Test (PAES 217:2004)
17. Forage Chopper-Specifications (PAES 218:2004)
18. Forage Chopper - Methods of Test (PAES 219:2004)
19. Peanut Sheller-Specifications (PAES 220:2004)
20. Peanut Sheller-Methods of Test (PAES 221:2004)
21. Chipping Machine-Methods of Test (PAES 223:2004)

SECTION 2. Enforcement - a) All concerned DA OSEC services, bureaus, attached agencies, foreign assisted project offices and regional field units shall enforce the PAES IV, series of 2004, including those agricultural engineering standards previously adopted by the DA through Administrative Orders No. 10, series of 2002, No. 6, series of 2003 and No. 11, series of 2003 --- PAES I, II and III, respectively as an integral part in the planning, regulation, bidding and implementation of their agricultural and fishery machinery and other agricultural engineering projects;

b. The PAES IV shall serve as technical reference for all DA agricultural engineers in the signing and sealing of plans, designs and technical specifications of DA agricultural machinery and other agricultural engineering projects in accordance with Resolution 7, series of 2003 of the Board of Agricultural Engineering of the Professional Regulation Commission;

c. All Regional Field Units, through their Regional Agricultural Engineering Division, shall coordinate with the Local Government Units, State Colleges and Universities and the field offices of concerned national government agencies for the enforcement of PAES I, II, III and IV.

SECTION 3. Repealing Clause - All DA Administrative Orders, Special Orders and other issuances inconsistent to this Administrative Order are hereby repealed and/or modified accordingly.

SECTION 4. Effectivity - This Administrative Order shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following the publication in the Official Gazette or any newspaper of general circulation, whichever is earlier.

Adopted: 20 Jan. 2005

(SGD.) ARTHUR C. YAP
Secretary