Consumers warned against low-quality cement

MANILA, Philippines - Imported cement now being used in projects in Metro Manila is substandard and was brought into the country without proper clearance from the government, a consumer advocate has warned.

“Cement imported from Vietnam is now being used without the required import commodity clearance (or ICC) from the Department of Trade and Industry,” said Adrian Sison, a lawyer known for his pro-consumer advocacies. Before an ICC is granted, the commodity being imported has to pass certain quality tests to ensure that it will not endanger consumer welfare and safety, he explained.

According to Sison, an importer, has already used the cement in a construction site on Tatalon St., Ugong, Valenzuela, without any ICC. What is worse, he said, is that there are reports that the cement used failed the quality test that DTI conducted.

The cement bags, he pointed out, are also without the appropriate markings required by DTI to guide consumers on their proper use. This enables the government to track the identity of the manufacturer, who can be held accountable for any problems arising from the cement’s use. These bags are also not in the 40kg bags as required by law.

Sison pointed out that the cement in question was stored in a place different from what is being claimed, thus making government monitoring of this particular cement shipment difficult – constituting a third violation, the lawyer said.

Sison has alerted DTI of a similar cement importation in May last year. He is now again calling the attention of the department to look into what he noted are violations of the law, as well as DTI trading rules, in order to protect consumer welfare and safety.