FALSE: Ilocos Norte the only province in the Philippines that got ISO-certified

At a glance

• Claim: Ilocos Norte is the only province in the Philippines that got ISO-certified.
• Rating: FALSE
• The facts: There were other provinces that got ISO-certified like Ilocos Norte, such as Cavite and Sorsogon.
• Why we fact-checked this: The claim was found in a post made on September 18 by Facebook page “Bongbong Marcos-Sara Duterte 2022,” with about 1,000 reactions, 41 comments, and 138 shares, as of writing.

Complete details

A post by Facebook page “Bongbong Marcos-Sara Duterte 2022” made on September 18 said that Ilocos Norte is the only province in the Philippines that got ISO-certified. ISO stands for the International Organization for Standardization, a non-governmental international organization whose primary function is to develop international standards. 

While also citing some efforts of former Ilocos Norte governor Bongbong Marcos, who held the position from 1983-1986 and 1998-2007, the post stated: “The Real Vice President has an impressive political resumé. As governor, he helped make Ilocos Norte into the only ISO-certified province in the country.”

As of writing, the post has about 1,000 reactions, 41 comments, and 138 shares.

The claim is false. 

Ilocos Norte attained the ISO 9001:2015 certification in 2017. Since then, however, at least one other province has garnered the same certification: the province of Sorsogon in Bicol, which got certified in 2021.

Ilocos Norte had also gotten certified in 2013 for ISO 9001:2008, an earlier set of standards. However, it was not the only province to have done so. Cavite had also gotten certified in 2012, as even cited in a Senate resolution. This incidentally also puts into question the claim in an official article by the Ilocos Norte government that Ilocos Norte was the first province in the country to be certified for ISO 9001:2008.

The ISO 9001 series determines requirements for a Quality Management System (QMS). According to ISO, the standard “can be used by any organization, large or small, regardless of its field of activity.” 

The ISO 9001:2015 standard is the series’ latest revision, published in September 2015, while the earlier ISO 9001:2008 was published in November 2008. – Percival Bueser/Rappler.com

Percival Bueser is a graduate of Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program. This fact check was reviewed by a member of Rappler’s research team and a senior editor. Learn more about Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program here.

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