BPS revises guidelines for imported cement

The Bureau of Product Standards (BPS) has revised its guidelines for imported cement, following reports that some of these are substandard and do not comply with certain government requirements.

Under BPS memorandum circular no. 004, all cement imports will have to undergo a series of "compressive strength" tests when securing a product standard certification mark license and an import commodity clearance (ICC) from the bureau.

The revised guidelines also require imported cement to pass a "verification test" in the Philippines, on top of foreign tests or testing done in the country where the imported cement originates. To consist of a complete physical and chemical testing, this verification test is needed when applying for an ICC, and its results will prevail over those of the foreign tests.

The BPS issued the new guidelines "based on the reports received by (the BPS) on the proliferation of substandard cement and the findings of laboratory tests on the non-compliance of cement to the requirements of Philippine National Standards, particularly on insoluble residue requirements and labeling requirements."

Under BPS memorandum circular 004, ICC applications shall be submitted on a per shipment per bill of lading basis. Moreover, the BPS will issue an ICC only for cement importations that are properly documented.

The circular also require imported cement to carry the name and address of the manufacturer, as well as the importer, in its packaging. Every bag of imported cement must also be stamped with the ICC logo, and must be indicated or marked with the mandatory red color band.

Finally, all cement samples (whether locally-produced or imported) will have to be submitted for testing in any of the three BPS-accredited testing centers only. These are the laboratories of Bonifacio Stanger in Taguig; Philippine GeoAnalytics, Inc. and Cement Central Laboratory, both in Quezon City.

With the issuance of the new cement guidelines, regional offices of the Department of Trade and Industry have moved to enforce the stricter tests specified in the BPS circular, with several DTI provincial directors informing cement importers about the revised guidelines. In Leyte, for instance, DTI provincial director Desiderio Belas, Jr. met with local consignees of imported cement and with officials of the Bureau of Customs to discuss the implementation of the new guidelines on future applications for ICCs for cement.

Meanwhile, DTI regional director for Western Visayas Dominic Abad urged the local cement industry to coordinate closely with the DTI provincial offices in monitoring the enforcement of the BPS circular. Finally, DTI regional director for Eastern Visayas Cynthia Nerras and DTI provincial director for Cebu Nelia Navarro both assured that all ICC issuances emanating from their respective offices will now be made in strict compliance with the revised guidelines.

For their part, industry experts say the BPS move augurs well for Filipino consumers, who will soon be assured that the cement they are buying fully complies with existing BPS benchmarks.