COMMISSION ON AUDIT CIRCULAR NO.

80-137 June 30, 1980

TO : All Heads of Ministries, Chiefs of Bureaus/Offices, Regional Directors of the

different Ministries; Managing Heads of Government-owned or Controlled
Corporations, including Educational Institutions and Self-Governing Boards,
Commissions or Agencies of the Government; Provincial Governors/City
Mayors; COA Managers and General Counsel, COA Regional Directors,
All Corporations, Provincial, City, Bureau and Unit Auditors and others
concerned.

SUBJECT : Philippine Standard on "Sizes (Metric) of Writing Paper and Certain Classes of
Printed Matter -Trimmed Sizes -A and B Series, P.S. (SAO) No. 233.

For the information and guidance of all concerned, quoted hereunder in full is the
text of the letter of the Director, Philippine Bureau of Standards.

"1980-04-01

The Commissioner
Commission on Audit
Don Mariano Marcos Ave.
Diliman, Quezon City

Dear Sir:

In pursuance to P.D. 187 prescribing the use of the Metric System of

weights and measures as the standard measurements for all products,
commodities, materials, utilities, services and in all business and legal
transactions, this Bureau has established a Philippine Standard on "Sizes
(Metric) of Writing Paper and Certain Classes of Printer Matter - Trimmed Sizes
- A and B Series, P.S. (SAO) No. 233.

In order that we may be able to implement this standard effectively,

may we request the cooperation of your good office in requiring all government
agencies to purchase and use writing paper with sizes in accordance with the
above mentioned standard, specifically size A4, immediately. Non-approval of
government purchases of writing paper not in the A4 size will greatly help in
the prevention of the proliferation of none-metric sizes in the market.

We shall appreciate your cooperation regarding this matter.

Very truly yours,

(SGD.) VIDALITO F. RANOA

Director"
 Enclosed herewith is a copy of the Standards Administrative Order No. 233, Series of
1976.

Please be guided accordingly.

(SGD.) FRANCISCO S. TANTUICO, JR., Acting Chairman

 Republic of the Philippines
Department of Trade
PHILIPPINES BUREAU OF STANDARDS

STANDARDS ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER )

NO. 233 : 1976-06-01
Series of 1976 )

SUBJECT : Standardization of sizes (metric) of Writing

Paper and Certain Classes of Printed Matter
- Trimmed Sizes - A and B Series

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 79(B) of the Revised Administrative Code of the
Philippines and Sections 3 and 4(a) of Republic Act 4109, the following Philippine Standard
No. 641- 02.00; 1976 for Writing Paper and Certain Classes of Printed Matter - Trimmed
Sizes - A and B Series, is hereby promulgated for the information and guidance of all
concerned.

For the purpose of this Standards Administrative Order, the standard specification for
writing Paper and Certain Classes of Printed Matter - Trimmed Sizes - A and B Series
shall be designated as Philippine Standard No. 641-02.00; 1976. The number is adopted
from the code number for printing and writing papers in the Standard Commodity
Classification of the Philippines in order to attain the purpose for the need of a single
standard classification system which would meet the needs and requirements of most users
for a uniform reporting and publication of statistics.
 PHILIPPINE STANDARD
SPECIFICATION FOR SIZES OF WRITING PAPER
AND CERTAIN CLASSES OF PRINTED MATTER-
TRIMMED SIZES - A AND B SERIES
PS NO. 614-02.00; 1976

FOREWORD

This standard specification for Sizes of Writing Paper and Certain Classes of Printed
Matter - Trimmed Sizes - A and B Series is hereby promulgated under a fixed designation
PS No. 641-02.00; 1976.

In compliance with Presidential Decree 187 as amended by Presidential Decree 748

which provide for the metric change-over of our country, the joint Technical Committee on
Paper of the Philippines Bureau of Standards and the Philippine Standards Association, Inc.
prepared this standard.

This standard was adopted from ISO (International Organization for Standardization)
216-1975 (L).

Suggestions for revision should be addressed to the Philippines Bureau of Standards,

P.O. Box 3719, Manila.

1. SCOPE

1.1 This standard specifies the trimmed sizes (metric) of writing paper and certain
classes of printed matter. It applies to trimmed sizes of paper for
administrative, commercial and technical use, and also to certain classes of
printed matter, such as forms, catalogues, etc. It does not necessarily apply
to newspapers, published books, posters or other special items which may be
the subject of a separate standard.

2. UNDERLYING PRINCIPLES

2.1 Basic Principles (Regularly Derived Sizes)

2.1.1 Halving principle - The system of paper sizes is built on the basis that
each normal series (regularly derived sizes) consists of a range of
sizes formed in such a manner that each size is achieved by dividing
the size immediately preceding it into two equal parts, the division being
parallel to the shorter side. Consequently the areas of two successive
sizes are in the ratio 2:1 (see figure 1).

2.1.2 Principle of similarity - All the sizes in each series are geometrically
similar to one another (see Figure 2). This requirement, combined
with that explained in (2.1.1), gives the following equation for the
sides x and y of a given size (see figure 3):

y:x = 2 : 1 = 1.414 - - - - (1)

 In other words, the ratio between the side x and y is equal to the ratio
between the side and the diagonal of a square.

2.2 Systems of Measurement

2.2.1 These sizes are based on the metric system of measurement.

2.3 Main Series (ISO - A Series)

2.3.1 The basic size of the A series (AO) has an area of 1 m2 . The following
equation therefore applies:

x x y = 1 m2 - - - - - (2)

Equation (1) and (2) give the following lengths of the sides for the basic
size of the A series:

x = 0.841 m
y = 1.189 m

The main series of sizes is arrived at by taking the basic size described
above and applying the basic principles given in (2.1). This series is
designated as ISO - A series.

2.4 Subsidiary Series (ISO - B Series)

2.4.1 A subsidiary series of sizes is obtained by placing the geometrical

means between adjacent sizes of the A series in sequence. This series
is designated as ISO - B series.

2.5 Long Sizes (Specially Derived)

2.5.1 Long sizes are obtained by dividing any appropriate regularly derived
sizes from the two series mentioned into 3, 4 or 8 equal parts,
parallel with the shorter side, in such a manner that the ratio between
the longer and the shorter side is greater than v-2.

3. DESIGNATION OF TRIMMED SIZES

3.1 Each trimmed size in the main and subsidiary series is designated by a letter
followed by a number. The letter (A or B) indicates the series of sizes, and
the number indicates the number of divisions that have been made
(according to the rules 2.1) starting from the basic size, which has been given
the number 0. For example, size A4 corresponds to size A0 divided by four
times.
 3.2 Trimmed long sizes are designated by the original size preceded by the
fraction into which this has been divided. For example, A4 corresponds to the
size A4 (210 mm x 297 mm) divided into four equal parts, parallel to the 210
mm side.

4. TRIMMED SIZES

4.1 Main series (ISO - A series). The trimmed sizes of the A series are intended
for all kinds of stationary and printed matter as specified in (1.1). These sizes
are as follows:

Designation millimetres
A0 841 x 1,189
A1 594 x 841
A2 420 x 594
A3 297 x 420
A4 210 x 297
A5 148 x 210
A6 105 x 148
A7 74 x 105
A8 52 x 74
A9 37 x 52
A10 26 x 37

4.2 Subsidiary series (ISO - B series). The trimmed sizes of the B series are
intended for use only in exceptional circumstances when sizes are needed
intermediate between any two adjacent sizes of the A series. This sizes are as
follows:

Designation millimetres
B0 1,000 x 1,414
B1 707 x 1, 000
B2 500 x 707
B3 353 x 500
B4 250 x 353
B5 176 x 250
B6 125 x 176
B7 88 x 125
B8 62 x 88
B9 44 x 62
B10 31 x 44

The rarely used sizes which follow also belong to this series:
4A0 : 1 682 mm x 2 378 mm
2A0 : 1 189 mm x 1 682 mm

4.3 Long sizes. As far as possible, trimmed long sizes shall be produced from the
regularly derived sizes of the A series. Examples are given in Figure 4.
 Designation Millimetres
1/3 A4 99 x 210
1/4 A4 74 x 210
1/8 A7 13 x 74

5. TOLERANCES

5.1 Unless closer tolerances are specified at the time of ordering, the
permissible tolerances on the above dimensions are as follows:

5.1.1 for dimensions up to and including 150 mm;

upper deviation + 1.5 mm

lower deviation - 1.5 mm

5.1.2 for dimensions greater than 150 mm and up to and including 600 mm:

upper deviation + 2 mm
lower deviation - 2 mm

5.1.3 for dimensions greater than 600 mm;

upper deviation + 3 mm
lower deviation - 3 mm

5.2 The dimensions shall be measured under standard testing conditions in

accordance with PS 64-TE.01; 1972.

6. EFFECTIVITY

6.1 This Standards Administrative Order shall take effect starting 1 January 1977
for paper converters but paper traders and users are hereby given a transition
period of up to 30 June 1977 to dispose of their present inventories
which do not correspond to the sizes prescribed in item (4) of this standard.
Starting 1 July 1977, the standard specification prescribed herein shall take full
effect.

(SGD) VIDALITO F. RANOA

Director

RECOMMENDED BY:

(SGD) VICENTE B. VALDEPENAS, JR.

Acting Undersecretary of Trade
Chairman, Philippine Standards Council

A P P R O V E D : July 30, 1976

(Date)

(SGD) TROADIO T. QUIAZON, JR.

Secretary of Trade
 ANNEX

EXAMPLES OF USE OF ISO SIZES

Size A3

This size, flat or folded to size A4, is intended for large tables, charts or diagrams
for official or commercial use, when size A4 is found to be too small.

Size A4

This size is primarily intended for use as the standard size for paper for
correspondence and for printed matter for official or commercial use.

It is further intended as the principal standard size for forms, catalogues, etc.

Size A5

This size is intended for similar purposes to the A4 size, when this is found to be too
large.

Size A6

This size is intended for picture postcards and letter-cards.

It may also be suitable for similar purpose to those described under A4 and A5, when
these sizes are found to be too large.

ISO trimmed long sizes are used for labels, tickets and certain other purposes.