July 23, 2026 | Quezon City — The Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA) has successfully completed its 2026 Internal Quality Audit (IQA), reinforcing the Agency’s commitment to maintaining an effective Quality Management System (QMS), strengthening institutional processes, and continuously improving the delivery of regulatory services to the agriculture sector.
Conducted from June 29 to July 9, 2026, the on-site audit evaluated the implementation of FPA’s quality management processes covering the issuance of licenses, registrations, permits, laboratory services, and other regulatory functions related to fertilizers and pesticides. The audit assessed activities implemented from June 30, 2025, onwards to verify compliance with established quality standards and documented procedures.
The audit was carried out by a 36-member Internal Quality Audit Team led by Ms. Sharmaine D. Tecson. The team assessed compliance with PNS ISO 9001:2015, PNS ISO/IEC 17025:2017, the FPA Citizen’s Charter, and other applicable laws, rules, and regulatory issuances.
The annual Internal Quality Audit serves as an important management tool that enables the Agency to evaluate the effectiveness of its Quality Management System, identify strengths and improvement opportunities, address process gaps, and ensure that government services remain efficient, transparent, and responsive to the needs of farmers, regulated entities, and other stakeholders. It also prepares the Agency for external quality assessments while promoting a culture of continual improvement across all organizational units.
Audit Results
Based on the audit results, the team confirmed that FPA’s Quality Management System remains generally compliant with statutory, regulatory, and international quality management requirements, demonstrating the Agency’s readiness for the Management Review on August 3, 2026, and the External ISO Surveillance Audit on August 13, 2026, where the effectiveness and continued conformity of the Agency’s Quality Management System will be independently assessed.
Audit findings were categorized into Positive Observations, Opportunities for Improvement (OFIs), and Nonconformities (NCs). Nonconformities are issued when processes, records, or practices do not fully conform to established quality management requirements and require corrective action.
The 2026 Internal Quality Audit recorded 33 Nonconformities, slightly higher than the 29 identified during the previous audit. According to the audit team, the increase was primarily attributed to the expanded audit scope, which included an additional division sub-unit, resulting in broader process coverage.
Of the total Nonconformities identified, 21 were associated with support processes, 11 with core operational processes, and one with a management process.
Corrective Actions and Continuous Improvement
Following the audit, concerned divisions and sections were issued Nonconformity Corrective Action Reports (NCARs) requiring them to conduct root cause analyses, implement appropriate corrective actions, and submit corresponding action plans within five working days. The Internal Quality Audit Team will subsequently validate the implementation and effectiveness of these corrective measures to ensure sustained compliance and continual process improvement.
During the closing meeting on July 9, the FPA Management Committee directed the implementation of Agency-wide initiatives to further strengthen the Quality Management System. These include expanding capacity-building programs for personnel, establishing a centralized repository of recurring nonconformities to support knowledge sharing and preventive action, and intensifying the monitoring of corrective actions before the scheduled Management Review and External ISO Surveillance Audit.
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Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA) Online ISSN: 2815-1674
Published by the FPA Information and Communications Team
Writer: Fernando Pierre Marcel Dela Cruz, Information Officer I