Import: Restricted and Prohibited

Restricted and prohibited import lists are similar from country to country.

Restrictions and Prohibitions 

All countries restrict or prohibit the import and export of certain articles based upon:

• Concerns for health, safety, and public morality (e.g., foodstuffs, agricultural products, live animals, biologic materials, pharmaceuticals, illicit drugs, chemicals, hazardous products, and materials deemed indecent).
• Protection of the physical and economic security of the state (e.g., arms, armaments, dual-use technology, radio and television transmitters and receivers, radioactive materials, seditious materials, and currency).
• Economic protection or subsidization of domestic industry (e.g., non-tariff barriers to trade for imports and control of natural resources for exports).
• Enforcement of provisions of multi-lateral trade agreements (e.g., those designed to protect endangered and threatened species of animals and plants and those designed to protect copyright, patent, and trademark holders against infringement).

Restricted

Agricultural Products, Foodstuffs, Plants, Animal Products

• Import of fertilizer requires registration for permit of imported fertilizer product and Experimental Use Permit for fertilizer efficacy trial.
• Animal products import requires Veterinary Certificate (clean report of findings), Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) Import Permit (Export Permit from shipper) for endangered species, and Certificate of Product Registration.
• Registration of a pesticide active ingredient and a pesticide product is required for the import of pesticides.
• Importer of plants must have Permit to Import plants and plant products (plants and plant products derived from or that include genetically modified organisms) and Phytosanitary Certification.
• All fish and fishery/aquatic products imported into the Philippines intended for distribution and further processing must be accompanied by an International Health Certificate issued by the authorized or competent regulatory agency from the country of origin. It must be presented as part of the documentation requirements on arrival.

Import of the following goods require a Permit to Import, must be quarantined and are subject to inspection:

• Living plants
• Nursery stocks, including vegetative parts thereof used as propagating materials
• Seeds for planting
• Fresh fruits, vegetables, and other plant products that are declared as prohibited or restricted imports under Special Quarantine Orders because they may host certain plant pests, or because they originate from restricted areas.
• Pure cultures of fungi, bacteria, viruses, nematodes, and other phytopathogenic materials
• Mushroom cultures, including spawn
• Algae cultures and rhizobial cultures, such as legume inoculants
• Soil and plant materials for isolation of organism
• Other plant cultures
• Certain species of animals, such as insects, birds, monkeys, or reptiles as they are capable of causing injury to agricultural crops and can become agricultural crop pests
• Biocontrol agents and genetically modified organisms/materials

Media

• Videograms (digital video discs, video compact discs, and video home system tapes) importers must have Permit for Videogram Import Clearance.
• Radio transmitter(s) and transceiver(s) require Permit to Purchase/Possess radio transmitter(s) and transceiver(s).
• National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and Cash Department of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) issues permits for color reproduction machines.

Pharmaceutical Products and Chemicals

• The Philippines Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) issue permits for essential chemicals, controlled precursors, and dangerous drugs, such as ketamine, pseudoephedrine, oripavine, and amineptine.
• The Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) is responsible for issuing clearance for cyanide, mercury, asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyl, chlorofluorocarbon, and other ozone-depleting substances.
• Department of Health, Bureau of Food and Drugs (DOH–BFAD) is the concerned authority for the issuance of permits for semi-synthetic antibiotics (all form and salts of ampicillin, amoxicillin, and cloxacillin), wheat flour, and iodized salt.
• Explosives Management Branch (EMB) and Philippines National Police (PNP) are responsible for issuing permits for chlorates, nitrates, and nitric acid.
• Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA) issues permit for the import of all fertilizers, pesticides, and other chemical products that are intended for agricultural use.
• The Philippines Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) is the authority responsible for issuing licenses for atomic energy materials import.

Fuel

• Energy Resource Development Bureau (ERDB) of the Philippines issues clearance for coal and lignite (excluding jet), whether or not pulverized, but not agglomerated.

Heavy Equipment, Vehicles

• The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) issues permits for the import of used vehicles for use by an official of the Diplomatic Corps.
• The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) is responsible for the import of ships, high-speed craft, ship’s equipment/spare parts, and spare parts of foreign flagships undergoing emergency repair.

The Bureau of Import Services (DTI-BIS) is responsible for issuing clearance and permits for the following:

• Used motor vehicles under the no-dollar import program that are owned for personal use by returning residents or immigrants. Vehicles must have gross vehicle weight (GVW) not exceeding 3,000 kilograms and must be left-hand drive.
• Used trucks excluding pick-up trucks with GVW of 2.5 to 6 metric tons
• Used buses with GVW of 6 to 12 metric tons
• Brand new/used automotive replacement parts and brand new motorcycle replacement parts (all used motorcycle parts except engine, including brand new motorcycle replacement chassis and frame are not allowed for importation)
• Used trucks for rebuilding purposes, such as truck chassis, engine, body, cabin/cowl, transmission/drivelines, axles (front and rear), or steering system
• Used tires
• Used motor vehicle importation through donation by local government units
• Importation by all instrumentalities of the government

Country Specific Restrictions

The Philippines International Trading Corporation (PITC) issues clearance for all commodities originating from the following socialist and centrally planned economy countries:

• Albania
• Angola
• Ethiopia
• Laos
• Libya
• Mongolia
• Mozambique
• Myanmar
• Nicaragua
• North Korea

Currency

• The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) provides clearance for legal tender Philippines currency in excess of 10,000 Philippine pesos, banknotes, coins of precious metals other than gold, coins of non-precious metals that are not legal tender, and coin blank essentially of gold, steel, copper, nickel, zinc, tin, and aluminum.

Prohibited

• Written or printed articles in any form containing any matter advocating or fuelling treason, rebellion, insurrection, sedition, or subversion against the government of the Philippines, or forcible resistance to any law of the Philippines
• Marijuana, opium, or any other narcotics or synthetic drugs
• Opium pipes and parts thereof
• Dynamite, gunpowder, ammunition, explosives, firearms and weapons of war, and parts thereof, except when authorized by law
• Written or printed articles, negatives or cinematographic films, engravings, photographs, lithographs, paintings, objects, drawings, or other representation of an obscene or immoral character
• Articles, drugs, instruments, and substances designed, intended, or adapted for performing unlawful abortion; or any printed matter that advertises, describes, or gives directly or indirectly information regarding where, how, or by whom unlawful abortion is performed
• Roulette wheels, gambling outfits, marked cards, loaded dice, apparatuses, machines, or mechanical devices used in gambling
• Lottery and sweepstakes tickets, and advertisements thereof except those authorized by the Philippine government
• Any article manufactured in whole or in part of gold, silver, other precious metals, or alloys thereof
• Any adulterated or misbranded articles of food or drugs
• All articles or part thereof that are prohibited from import by law or rules and regulation issued by competent authority
• Used clothing and rags
• Onions, potatoes, garlic, and cabbage, except for seeding purposes
• Right-hand drive vehicles
• Toy guns
• Laundry and industrial detergents containing hard surfactants

Note: The above information is subject to change. Importers are advised to obtain the most current information from a customs broker, freight forwarder, or the local customs authorities.

Article written for World Trade Press by Taylor Holloran, Jennifer Goheen, and Nina Bellucci.
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