Steelmakers hail gov’t drive versus substandard steel

MANILA, Philippines - Local steel makers are calling on the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Criminal Investment and Detection Group (CIDG) to continue their campaign versus the proliferation of substandard construction materials in Yolanda-stricken areas despite the resignation of Secretary Panfilo Lacson as rehabilitation czar.

Roberto Cola, president of the Philippine Iron and Steel Institute (PISI), said the sudden resignation of Lacson should not dissuade the DTI and CIDG from strengthening their cooperation as mandated by the memorandum of agreement (MOA) they signed last year.

“The DTI-CIDG MOA, under the stewardship of Lacson, has already resulted in successful operations that spared Yolanda victims from getting victimized by peddlers of substandard construction materials. We hope that this formidable partnership will continue through the renewal of the MOA,” Cola stressed.

Last year, the DTI and CIDG conducted a series of raids that resulted in the confiscation of over P100 million worth of substandard steel products and other construction materials that were supposed to be sold in Yolanda-damaged areas.

Cola added this partnership has become doubly important as the government is set to release the funding for the rehabilitation of areas in the so-called Yolanda Corridor amounting to about P170 billion.

Under the MOA, the CIDG will conduct operations in five phases, namely: planning and preparation phase; intelligence and build-up phase, negation phase; legal offensive phase; and the monitoring phase.