Effective January 31, 2019, the Postal Service™ is revising Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, International Mail Manual (IMM®) to reflect changes to the Individual Country Listing for the Philippines.
As a result of a formal request made through the Universal Postal Union via International Bureau Circular 155, dated November 5, 2018, Philippine Postal Corporation is requiring documentation for plants and similar items, especially those obtained through online shopping, to prevent the spread of foreign or exotic plant pests that can pose risks to the country’s agricultural sector. Philippines national legislation authorizes the destruction or disposal of items that do not contain the proper documentation.
Consequently, the Postal Service is adding a restriction requiring sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances and phytosanitary certificates from the Philippines Bureau of Plant Industry (National Plant Protection Organization).
Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, International Mail Manual (IMM)
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Individual Country Listings
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Philippines
Country Conditions for Mailing
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Restrictions
[Add a second entry to read as follows:]
Plants and similar items require sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances and phytosanitary certificates from the Philippines Bureau of Plant Industry (National Plant Protection Organization). Philippines national legislation authorizes the disposal or destruction of items that do not contain the proper documentation.
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Although effective January 31, 2019, the Postal Service will incorporate this revision into the next edition of the online IMM. The online IMM is available via Postal Explorer® at pe.usps.com.
— Product Classification,
Marketing, 1-31-19
