Check the packing
When buying cement, consumers must check the bags first to ascertain that they bear markings specified by government regulators, the Cement Manufacturers’ Association of the Philippines advised.
The new standard issued by the Department of Trade and Industry-Bureau of Product Standards requires cement manufacturers to identify their products with markings which can easily be read and understood by consumers, such as the product quality label and the date of manufacture.
"Look for the Philippine Standard (PS) mark or the Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) mark with the corresponding ICC number of the particular shipment," the cement group’s president, Ernesto M. Ordonez, urged consumers.
Customers stand to benefit from the PS and ICC marks as these will provide them with the assurance the cement they are purchasing has passed quality tests under the Trade and Industry department.
Apart from the quality marks, consumers should also look for the date of manufacture. "With the manufacturing date stamped on the bag, consumers will know exactly when the cement was produced. This will allow them to determine the freshness of the cement, as well as to trace the product easily."
All cement bags, Mr. Ordonez said, should also be permanently stamped with the following: the brand name, the manufacturer’s trademark, the net weight of cement in kilogram, the colored band at the upper right hand of the bag indicating the type of cement, the label "Product of the Philippines," or the country of manufacture.
Published under Cement News
