No substandard cement flooding market - DTI

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) assured consumers yesterday that there is no substandard cement flooding the local market.

The DTI conducted an investigation following a letter from the Philippine Cement Manufacturers Corp. (Philcemcor) inquiring about reports of substandard cement.

Trade Undersecretary Adrian S. Cristobal Jr. said that the DTI regional offices regularly subject cement samples to a 28-day strength test.

Cristobal said he welcomes complains from consumers and the industry.

He confirmed that the DTI received a couple of complaints about two particular brands of cement having a different color.

"To say that there’s a flood of substandard cement is pure exaggeration," Cristobal said.

Philcemcor identified the two cement brands as Lucky and Mayon.

Cristobal said the DTI monitoring teams in Batangas and Region V, where the manufacturers of the two cement brands are located, have already submitted samples of two brands to the DTI Bureau of Product Standards to verify their compliance with the Philippine National Standards (PNS) for cement.

The DTI-BPS explained that the presence of the so-called "slag" in cement is not an indication of low quality. Slag is a material used to dilute cement.

DTI-BSP Director Jesus L. Motoomull said there are different cement for specific uses that have slag.

Motoomul said that "if it (slag) is used excessively, the cement produced will not be as strong because of the presence of many impurities."