DTI returns substandard motorcycle inner tubes

MANILA, Philippines — Finding 19,499 pieces of rubber inner tubes for motorcycle tires as below standard, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) ordered the return of the products to its country of origin last week.

In a statement, the DTI said it sent back the items, worth P500,000, to its origin after finding these to be non-compliant with Philippine safety standards, specifically after failing the independent tests for tensile strength and elongation tests.

The DTI said these failures indicate that the products did not satisfy the minimum requirements of the Philippine National Standard, which sets the safety and quality benchmarks for rubber inner tubes for tires.

“A rubber inner tube may seem like a small thing, but on the road, it can be the difference between life and death. We take this work seriously because safety is non-negotiable for the millions of Filipinos who depend on motorcycles for work, school and livelihood,” Trade Secretary Cristina Roque said.

The DTI-Bureau of Philippine Standards facilitated the re-inventory, re-packaging, sealing and loading of the non-compliant inner tubes for shipment back to the manufacturer.

Details on the country of origin of the substandard products were not immediately available.

“Let me be clear: the DTI’s goal is not to shut down businesses, but to uplift those that follow the rules and invest in quality,” Roque said.

Apart from promoting consumer protection, the move to re-export the substandard products takes into account the economic impact on businesses.

By sending back the substandard products, the DTI aims to help businesses recover some value from their non-compliant goods.

The move is also intended to discourage the importation of substandard products.