IMPORTED cement now being used in construction projects in Metro Manila is substandard and
was brought into the country without proper clearance from the government, a consumer
advocate warned.
“Cement imported from Vietnam is now being used without the required Import Commodity
Clearance [ICC] from the Department of Trade and Industry [DTI],” said Adrian Sison, a lawyer
known for his proconsumer 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, Sison explained.
Sison said an importer has already used the cement in a construction site on Tatalon Street,
Ugong, Valenzuela City, without any ICC. What is worse, he said, is that there are reports that
the cement used failed the quality test that the DTI conducted.
The cement bags, he pointed out, are also without the proper markings required by the DTI to
guide consumers on the product’s 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 40-kilogram 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 alerted the 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.
Source: The Businessmirror Online
