DTI urged to recover ’low-quality’ imported cement from buyers, Philippines
The Cement Manufacturers’ Association of the Philippines (CeMAP) has urged the Department of Trade and Industry to locate and to withdraw from buyers 30,000 bags of allegedly low quality Horse brand cement from China which DTI said were illegally released from a warehouse here.
In a statement, CeMAP quoted its president Ernesto M. Ordoñez to have asked the DTI to recover the goods to prevent accidents and "protect the consumers."
CeMAP cited that the product was banned after failing "critical parameters" such as the autoclave expansion and the seven-day quality testing. They also noted that the cement bags lacked permanent product markings designed to ensure consumer safety.
The cement’s poor compressive or binding force was also pointed out in the wake of recent earthquakes that rocked the cities of Davao and General Santos.
Robert Barlis, chief of DTI’s field service division in Southeastern Mindanao, said the letter has not reached him yet as of Friday afternoon. "Cement is part of regular monitoring; we’re monitoring outlets such as hardware (stores), construction supply stores, and others," he said.
"In case Horse cement brand is found, establishments may be charged for selling uncertified product and issued appropriate preventive orders," Barlis told MindaNews Saturday in a telephone interview.
But he clarified that their mandate only covers outlets. "We can only advise the buyers so they could file complaints against the outlet that sold them the product," he said.
DTI has campaigned against the use of the Horse brand cement until the Bureau of Products Standards issues an import commodity clearance for the product.
Published under Cement News
