As contemplated in this Order, the following terms, words and phrases herein used shall be construed to mean as follows:

A.	Codex Alimentation Commission (CODEX) - refers to the international organization recognized by the WTO as the responsible body for establishing food standards, codes of practice, guidelines and recommendations aimed at protecting consumer health and ensuring fair food trade practices, CODEX also refers to food standards and related texts elaborated and adopted by th Commission, which is recognized by the WTO as benchmark standards in relation to food quality and safety.
B.	Country of Origin - refers to the country source of meat and/or meat products being exported. When a product undergoes processing in another country which changes its nature, the country in which processing is performed shall be considered to be the country of origin for purpose of labeling. Conversely, when such product undergoes only minimal processing/physical change (i.e., repacking, re-banding) in another country, the country of origin refers to the source of the original product.
C.	Claim - refers to any representation, which states, suggest or implies that a product has particular qualities relating to its origin, nutritional properties, nature, processing, composition or any other quality.
D.	Data of Expiration - refers to the earliest date at which safety and/or acceptability of a product can no longer be assured, based on CODEX or other internationally accepted standards, or as determined by the manufacturer or the appropriate government authority.
E.	Date of Minimum Durability ("best before") - refers to the earliest date (under specified conditions) beyond which a product is no longer fully marketable and cannot meet the quality required by the importer or government authorities in the importing country as determined from CODEX or other internationally accepted standards, or for which claims have been made by the manufacturer or the government authority of the exporting country.
F.	Foreign Meat Establishment (FME) - refers to an establishment, company or juridical/legal entity engaged in slaughtering/dressing of food animals, meat processing/packing/manufacturing, and/or meat trading/exporting, among others.
G.	Imported Meat Inspection Clearance (IMIC) - refers to the clearance issued by the National Meat Inspection Commission (NMIC) to an importer/consignee providing the basis for the latters' utilization or disposition of the imported meat and /or meat products.
H.	International Veterinary Certificate (IVC) - refers to the certificate issued by the Veterinary Administration at the country of origin attesting that, among others, the goods conform with the veterinary/SPS requirements of the Philippines as prescribed in the Veterinary Quarantine Clearance issued by the Department of Agriculture (DA).
I.	Lot Identification - refers to the name and identity number of the plant/factory and the serial identity number of the specified quantity of commodity produced from this plant/factory essentially subjected to the same production conditions.
J.	Meat - refers to the fresh, chilled or frozen edible part of carcass, including offal derived from but not limited to cattle, buffalo, pig, poultry, goat, sheep, and horse but excluding marine animals and prohibited animals under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
K.	Meat product - refers to meat, which has been subjected to physical change and/or treatment by cooking, drying, salting, brining or smoking.
L.	Office Internationale des Epizooties (OIE) - refers to the international organization recognized by the WTO as the responsible body for establishing the animal veterinary health standards, guidelines or recommendations.
M.	Qualified Importer - refers to a person, company or juridical/legal entity accredited by DA as meat processor/manufacturer/re-packer, meat trader, and other meat establishments.
N.	Qualified exporter- refers to the foreign meat establishment (FME) recognized by the Veterinary Administration of country source as exporting entity and accredited by the DA. Only those "meat-trading" firms sourcing from DA accredited FMEs are considered qualified exporters.
O.	Veterinary Administration - refers to the national Veterinary Service having authority over the whole country for implementing the animal health measures and international veterinary certification process (based on OIE Animal Health Code).
P.	Veterinary Quarantine Clearance (VQC)/SPS Import Permit - refers to the clearance issued by the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) to the importer/consignee, setting the Philippine SPS/quarantine requirements that imported meat and/or meat products should be subject to.
Q.	Veterinary Quarantine Inspection Certificate (VQIC) - refers to the document issued by the DA Vetrinary Quarantine Office (DAVQO) to the importer/consignee, which certifies that the goods have been subjected to quarantine inspection and cleanrance. The VQIC provides the basis for the NMIC to initiate its inspection and laboratory analysis upon the release of the goods by the Bureau of Customs (BOC).