PDEA, NML round up for “Tamang Sukat Lagi” NML trains PDEA on accurate measurement

In support of its War Against Drugs program, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) is rounding up its drugs fighting numbers as 45 of its chemists and laboratory staff from around the country undergo a seminar-workshop on mass metrology on March 2 to 20, 2020 at the National Metrology Laboratory (NML-ITDI) in Bicutan, Taguig City.


RA 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 drives the move for renewed accurate measurement of drugs samples, through the “Tamang Sukat Lagi” Campaign of PDEA and NML. Here, RA 9165 can put a person to life imprisonment or death for possession of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine or shabu otherwise called in the streets as chalk, crystal, chemical, crank, ice, glass, meth, speed or tina.

In his opening message, PDEA Laboratory Service Director Derrick Arnold C. Carreon acknowledges that, “Certainly, with such a small quantity, lives can be changed forever.”

In aid, NML, a division of the Industrial Technology Institute (DOST-ITDI), is leading conduct of the technical training to bolster the current measurement procedures and protocol of PDEA, which is necessary in preventing, investigating, and combating any dangerous drugs, precursors, and other essential chemicals within the country.

Divided into three batches of 15 participants, PDEA chemists and other laboratory staff will be trained on the fundamentals of mass metrology and measurement uncertainty, and calibration of non-automatic weighing instruments (NAWI), specifically laboratory scales.

With the training series being part of the project funded by the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD), the project aims to further strengthen the country’s existing drug enforcement system.

Kive*en P. Suycano, head of the Mass Standards Section at NML-ITDI and as it project leader, together with Director Carreon of PDEA, will be later working together to add additional layers of protection to the system.

These include subsequent assessment of the weight measurement capabilities of the laboratories of PDEA through a survey and laboratory visits.  Further, regular proficiency testing through inter-laboratory comparison measurements will be conducted to ensure that measurement results that are established are accurate to the highest degree, valid, and verifiable.

PDEA laboratories will also be provided with calibration kits consisting of OIML Class E2 weights for intermediate checking of weighing instruments.  Together, both agencies will create a protocol in weighing of samples, intermediate checking of weighing instruments, and setting of measurement tolerances appropriate to the quantity they are weighing, as well as, being compliant to the international laboratory standards set under the terms of ISO/IEC 17025:2017.

With a more accurate measurement system, drug enforcers are more confident of the validity and accuracy of the basis of their anti-drug enforcement procedures.

NML-ITDI is the de facto National Metrology Institute of the Philippines tasked by law to be responsible for establishing and maintaining national measurement standards for physical quantities such as mass, temperature, pressure, voltage, resistance, luminous intensity and time interval, and their dissemination to Filipino users. It advocates “Tamang Sukat Lagi” as a means to remind businesses and consumers to practice and observe correct measurement.