Principles & Concepts

The word comes from Greek μέτρον (metron), "measure"[1] + "λόγος" (logos), amongst others meaning "speech, oration, discourse, quote, study, calculation, reason". In Ancient Greek the term μετρολογία (metrologia) meant "theory of ratios". Metrology covers three main activities:
  • The definition of internationally accepted units of measurement
  • The realisation of units of measurement
  • The establishment of traceability chains
  Metrology is defined by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM) as "the science of measurement, embracing both experimental and theoretical determinations at any level of uncertainty in any field of science and technology."
 For Further Reading:
  • Fundamental Principles and Concepts

    Fundamental Principles and Concepts

    2012-09-20

    The word comes from Greek μέτρον (metron), "measure"[1] + "λόγος" (logos)

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Metrology Law

Republic of the Philippines

Congress of the Philippines

Metro Manila

Twelfth Congress

Third Regular Session

Begun and held in Metro Manila, on Monday, the twenty-eight day

of July, two thousand and three.

[Republic Act No. 9236]

AN ACT ESTABLISHING A NATIONAL MEASUREMENT INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEM (NMIS) FOR STANDARDS AND MEASUREMENTS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives

of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Title. – This Act shall be known as "The National Metrology Act of 2003." SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is hereby declared the policy of the State to facilitate the development of scientific and technical knowledge and progress in the national economy by encouraging the standardization and modernization of units and standards of measurements to adapt to the needs of the times, thereby complying with international standards and protecting the health, interest and safety of every consumer and his environment from the harmful effects of inaccurate or false measurements.   for further reading: REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9236   
 

IMPLEMENTING RULES AND REGULATIONS OF

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9236

THE NATIONAL METROLOGY ACT OF 2003

Pursuant to the Provision of Section 19 of Republic Act 9236, otherwise known as the “Act Establishing a National Measurement Infrastructure System (NMIS) for Standards and Measurements, and for Other Purposes”, the Department of Science and Technology hereby adopts and promulgates the following rules and regulations.

PART I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

RULE I

PRELIMINARY PROVISIONS

Section 1. Title This Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) shall be known as the “Implementing Rules and Regulations of the National Metrology Act of 2003.” Section 2. Purpose This IRR shall provide guidelines on the implementation of the National Metrology Act of 2003. Section 3. Scope This IRR prescribes the metrological controls on measuring instruments and standards required to ensure reliable measurements in the Regulated Areas of Application, the functions, duties; and powers of the National Metrology Board and the National Accrediting Body; and the responsibilities of government departments and agencies and other entities with respect to the implementation of the Act.

RULE II

DECLARATION OF STATE POLICY

Section 4. It shall be the policy of the State to facilitate: a) the development of scientific and technical knowledge; and, b) the progress in the national economy, by encouraging the standardization and modernization of units and standards of measurements to adapt to the needs of the times, including compliance to international standards and protection of the health, interest and safety of every consumer and his environment from the harmful effects of inaccurate or false measurements.

RULE III

DEFINITION OF TERMS

Section 5. With respect to technical metrological terms, this IRR adopts the definitions contained in the current edition of the “International vocabulary of basic and general terms in metrology” (Vocabulaire International des Termes Fondamentaux et generaux de Metrologie - VIM), published by International Bureau of Weights and Measures (Bureau International des Poids et Mesures - BIPM), International Electrotechnical Commission, (Commission electrotechnique internationale, CEI), International Organization on Standardization (ISO), and International Organization of Legal Metrology (Organisation Internationale de Metrologie Legale - OIML)].  

for further reading: Implementing Rules & Regulations

Publications

World Metrology Day

National and International Metrology Infrastructure

National & International Metrology Infrastructure

CLICK THIS LINK TO VIEW THE DOCUMENT

Newsletter

Dear Customers,   Subject: New Corporate Identity of the National Metrology Laboratory of the Philippines   It gives us great pleasure to announce to you, our valued customers and stakeholders, the launch of our new corporate identity. This sets a fresh direction for the National Metrology Laboratory (NML), a Division operating within the Industrial Technology Development Institute (ITDI) under the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). The launch of NML’s new logo reinforces its position as the national metrology institute of the Philippines, sitting at the helm of the national metrology pyramid.  

  Our new corporate identity symbolizes the core concept in metrology which is traceability. Modern society requires measurements that provide confidence and lead to the same result irrespective of the place where the measurements are performed. The globalization of trade and industry, the increasing movement of goods and services across state borders or regional limits continue to generate an increasing need for accurate and reliable measurement results to underpin social and economic development.   As the national custodian of measurement standards, NML provides traceability to the national system and through it to the International system. As an example, the 1 kilogram standard in NML weighs exactly the same as the 1 kilogram in another national metrology institute elsewhere in the world. This link to the international standards assures accuracy of measurements done in the Philippines.   For a measurement to be correct, reliable and reproducible, it needs to be compared with the value of a measurement standard. In our new logo, the green concave-shaped icon represents NML’s measurement standard. By comparing the customer’s measuring devices, represented by the blue concave-shaped icon, with the national measurement standards through calibration, the uninterrupted chain of comparisons from the measuring instruments to the National Measurement Standard and to the International System of Units (SI) remains guaranteed within given uncertainties.   We hope that our new corporate identity would constantly remind us in the field of metrology of our great social responsibility to the general public, to the Filipino consumers in particular.   Truly yours, Aurora V. Kimura Chief, NML  
 Further Reading:  
  • Newsletter

    Newsletter

    2012-09-20

    It gives us great pleasure to announce to you, our valued customers and stakeholders, the launch of our new corporate identity.

    Download This File
  • PROPOSED STRATEGY FOR THE NATIONAL METROLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE PHILIPPINES

    PROPOSED STRATEGY FOR THE NATIONAL METROLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE PHILIPPINES

    2015-11-26

    PROPOSED STRATEGY FOR THE NATIONAL METROLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE PHILIPPINES

    Download This File
  • PROPOSED STRATEGY FOR THE NATIONAL METROLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE PHILIPPINES

    PROPOSED STRATEGY FOR THE NATIONAL METROLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE PHILIPPINES

    2015-11-26

    PROPOSED STRATEGY FOR THE NATIONAL METROLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE PHILIPPINES

    Download This File

Proposed Blue Print for the National Metrology Strategy of the Philippines

Proposed Blue Print for the National Metrology Strategy of the Philippines

  I. Foreword   (CLICK THIS LINK TO VIEW THE ENTIRE DOCUMENT) Imagine life without measurement. Imagine a world without accurate and reliable measurements.     There can be reliable measurement only when metrology is in place. It is not uncommon that in the Philippines many people remain unfamiliar with or unaware of metrology. Metrology? Do you mean meteorology or PAGASA? People are confused. Reason? Because the basic infrastructure of metrology is not in place, or people are not aware that there is such science of measurement, or it is not understood. This lack of understanding and appreciation, plus the absence of a well-established metrological infrastructure founded on a national metrology strategy are some of the reasons for the low competitiveness of Philippine products in world trade.   Recognizing the problems, the National Metrology Laboratory of the Philippines (NML) conducted the first metrology strategic planning workshop. It was sponsored by the national metrology institute of Germany (Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt or PTB) and ably guided by its consultant, an internationally acknowledged adviser on metrology, Dr. Clemens Sanetra. The workshop aimed to identify the needs and gaps in the current situation of metrology in the Philippines, to propose solutions on how to address the gaps, to define the relationship of NML with key players in metrology, to identify the key elements of a national metrology strategy for the Philippines, and to propose final targets and milestones in the process of implementation to achieve a metrology infrastructure fit for the needs of the country, and according to international best practices.   The importance of ensuring that measurements in the country are accurate and reliable cannot be overemphasized. From birth to death, measurement has always been part of man’s life. At birth, his weight and length are measured. In his lifetime he needs measurement to enjoy a good quality of life. In death, man still resorts to measurement - to record his time of death or determine the size of his coffin. Like ancient society, early Filipinos also had their own means of measurement to better manage their everyday life and be able to communicate with each other. They used terms to denote some form of measurement, such as “dangkal” (the point from the tip of the thumb to the tip of the middle finger) or “dipa” (the length of two extended arms) to measure length or distance, “dakot” (handful), “gatang” (a unit of measure for rice and other grains) to measure mass or weight, “saglit” (instant, moment), “sandali” (a moment, a short time) to measure time. Today, new technology and innovation, development in industries worldwide, the growing practice of manufacturers jointly producing goods or providing services, the stiffer competition in trade, the greater expectations in public safety, consumer protection and healthcare, and the demand for higher quality of goods dictate an urgent need for greater accuracy, reliability and harmony in measurements within a country and among countries.   Metrology, together with the other components of a country’s quality infrastructure (like standards, testing, certification, accreditation, quality assurance), ensures that one gets the right weight of rice or meat or the right volume of gasoline that he pays for. It ensures that spare parts of cars or airplanes made in one country accurately fit other parts produced in another country. It assures one that the radiation he gets from an x-ray machine is within safe limits. All these are possible with the right practice of metrology. All these are benefits from reliable and accurate measurements, whether they are related to the regulated areas (consumer protection & welfare) or the non-regulated areas (quality assurance, competitiveness and innovation). This paper summarizes the output of the first workshop intended to provide the initial blueprint for a long-term national metrology strategy for the Philippines.

The Answer to Global Quality Challenge

What do these countries, Germany, China, USA, Japan, France, South Korea, and Netherlands have in common aside from being listed as the largest countries by total international trade?     A well-established and strong national quality infrastructure that is vital to products and processes. NQI refers to all aspects of METROLOGY, STANDARDIZATION, TESTING, and QUALITY MANAGEMENT including CERTIFICATION and ACCREDITATION.   Read more about NQI:   The Answer To the Global Quality Challenge A NATIONAL QUALITY INFRASTRUCTURE Dr. Clemens Sanetra, Rocio M. Marban  

 

 CLICK THIS LINK TO VIEW THE DOCUMENT

   

Primer on International System of Units (SI)

 

Useful Links