The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) has partnered with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) to ensure the quality of paper products used in the May 12, 2025 elections. The DOST-Forest Products Research and Development Institute’s (DOST-FPRDI) Pulp and Paper Testing Laboratory (FPPTL), the only ISO-certified lab of its kind in the Philippines, is tasked with testing and certifying paper products before they can be used in the electoral process.
FPPTL has worked with COMELEC for over a decade, assessing paper quality based on criteria like opacity, brightness, thickness, and tear strength. These tests cover various paper types such as ballots, envelopes, and paper seals.
DOST Secretary Renato Solidum highlighted the importance of quality paper in ensuring a smooth voting process. The lab’s services also save the government millions by eliminating the need for foreign testing.
FPPTL continues to modernize by acquiring advanced equipment and expanding services to support both elections and broader industry needs. This effort, supported by DOST and its agencies, aims to enhance local manufacturing competitiveness and protect consumers from substandard products.
DOST through the Forest Products Research and Development Institute’s (DOST-FPRDI) Pulp and Paper Testing Laboratory (FPPTL) is the COMELEC accredited government laboratory to ensure that paper products from the private companies are tested and certified before they can join the bidding process.
For more than a decade, the FPPTL has been COMELEC’s partner in ensuring the high quality and at par with standards set by the poll body on paper products to be used in the election.
The laboratory evaluates the paper quality based on its opacity and brightness, grammage, thickness, stiffness, tear and dimension. Among the paper products tested at the laboratory are multi-copy papers, continuous forms, envelopes, thermal papers, paper seals, vellum papers, newsprints, folders and specialty papers.
DOST Secretary Renato U. Solidum, Jr. has lauded DOST-FPRDI’s advanced testing services that are crucial in the conduct of important events such as the elections.
"By ensuring that election materials meet quality standards, we contribute to a smooth and reliable voting process. High-quality paper ensures ballots are durable and easily readable, which minimizes the occurrence of errors," Solidum stressed.
FPPTL is the only pulp and paper testing laboratory in the country and is certified by the International Organization for Standardization through the Philippine Accreditation Bureau.
Aside from COMELEC, other DOST-FPRDI clients include the Department of Education, Bureau of Internal Revenue, Land Transportation Office, National Printing Office, and the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).
According to FPPTL Technical Manager Aimee Beatrix R. Habon, “the government saves millions of pesos by availing of FPPTL services, instead of having their paper products tested and certified abroad.”
The Institute continues to expand its ISO-accredited testing services to address the evolving needs of the forest-based and allied industries. These include the introduction of advanced testing methods and the acquisition of additional machines to create more innovative products.
According to Habon, the laboratory has procured new equipment to test the paper’s brightness, opacity and whiteness; smoothness; and porosity and roughness. Also acquired is the double-fold tester for measuring the folding endurance of paper, and burst for tissue to evaluate its strength. This is through the assistance and funding support from the DOST-Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development and the Smarter OneLab for Industry 4.0.
"Our mission at DOST-FPRDI is to support the forest products industry by providing reliable and cutting-edge testing services. The expansion of our services reaffirms our commitment to help local manufacturers compete in both local and global markets," explained Institute Director Rico J. Cabangon.
“With these advancements, FPPTL strengthens its role in ensuring the quality and integrity of paper products, not just for the elections but for everyday use. By setting high standards for testing, we protect consumers from substandard and overpriced paper products,” Cabangon added. By Apple Jean C. Martin- de Leon & Glenn B. Manongsong, DOST-FPRDI
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