NMLPhil-MiC Section Achieves ISO/IEC 17025 Accreditation and APMP Peer Review, 
Gears Toward CMC Claims

News from Member - DOST-ITDI / Philippines

The Metrology in Chemistry (MiC) Section of the National Metrology Laboratory of the Philippines (NMLPhil), under the Industrial Technology Development Institute (ITDI) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), achieved a major milestone in July 2025 when it was officially granted ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation by DAkkS (Deutsche Akkreditierungsstelle), Germany’s national accreditation body, and attestation from their APMP peer-review.

In November 2024, DAkkS auditors conducted a comprehensive on-site technical assessment at NMLPhil. The team demonstrated its sound quality management system, technical capability, and compliance. The audit covered testing competencies in food and water matrices, which include:

• Arsenic in Water and Food (HVG-FAAS)

• Cadmium in Water (ICP-MS)

• Lead in Food (GFAAS)

• Mercury in Fish (DMA)

• Benzoic Acid in Fruit Juice      (HPLC)

• Benzoic Acid in Food (HPLC and LC-MS/MS)

During the same period, the MiC Section also underwent a peer-review technical evaluation by experts from the Asia Pacific Metrology Programme (APMP), led by Dr. Kittiya Shearman and Dr. Nattikarn Ornthai of the National Metrology Institute of Thailand (NIMT). This review was conducted in line with the Section’s application for Calibration and Measurement Capabilities (CMC) claims, using the same scope as the ISO/IEC 17025 assessment.

The accreditation and peer review affirm the MiC Section’s expertise in chemical testing and its schemes. These achievements strengthen the Philippines’ national quality infrastructure and highlight NMLPhil’s role in aligning national standards with global practices while actively engaging in networks such as APMP and BIPM. They also build confidence among local laboratories and industries, ensuring reliable results in critical areas like food safety, water quality, and environmental monitoring. At the same time, they boost export competitiveness by reducing costly re-testing abroad and securing wider international acceptance of test results.

Abigail Grace H. Bion, Science Research Specialist, NMLPhil

aghbion@itdi.dost.gov.ph