The Department of Agriculture (DA) released the Department Circular (DC) outlining the new guidelines to ensure that agricultural and fisheries machinery suppliers honor their warranties and provide essential support to farmers, particularly in remote areas. 

DC No. 25, Series of 2025  titled “Guidelines on the Conduct of After-Sales Service Compliance Monitoring (ASSCM) and After-Sales Service Comparative Evaluation (ASSCE)” establishes detailed protocols for monitoring the compliance of Manufacturers, Fabricators, Assemblers, Distributors, Dealers, Importers, and Exporters (MFADDIES).  

 

Signed by Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr., the Circular emphasizes a dual approach to ensure compliance and accountability. 

The ASSCM, which is an annual activity led by the Bureau of Agricultural and Fisheries Engineering (BAFE) aimed to check if suppliers meet mandatory standards, such as maintaining a spare parts inventory equal to 10% of their average three-year sales.

In addition, the ASSCE, it is the verification process where BAFE and regional divisions interview end-users to confirm if the after-sales claims made by suppliers are actually being fulfilled in the field.

Under these protocols, all machinery must include a warranty card or certificate valid for at least one year. Furthermore, suppliers are mandated to respond to the complaints within three days of receipt. 

Notably, the definition of “supplier” under the DC now clearly includes fabricators and exporters, ensuring they are held to the same standards as larger manufacturers.

This is the result of a policy recommendation from the National Committee on Agriculture and Fisheries Mechanization (CAFMech), titled: Recommending to the DA, through its Regional Field Offices (RFO) and BAFE, to monitor and ensure compliance with the provision of after -sales service by agricultural and fisheries machinery suppliers through the Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries.

In the recommendation, CAFMech emphasized the need for “on-site” technical support, noting that farmers in remote areas often struggle with idle machinery due to lack of available mechanics. The Committee’s push for these guidelines is part of the intensified 2027 modernization plan for the agri-machinery sector nationwide.

Failure to comply with these after-sales requirements will now be categorized as a prohibited act under the Agricultural and Fisheries Mechanization Law, potentially leading to revocation of a supplier’s Certificate of Conformity. | Jezebel Campaniel