Philippines notifies WTO of import investigation

The Philippines’ Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has notified the World Trade Organisation of its preliminary investigation to determine whether cement imports are causing or threatening to cause serious injury to the domestic industry, according to the Manila Bulletin. 

In an initial review, the DTI noted that import surges are negatively affecting the competitiveness of local manufacturers. If the investigation shows positive results, it could result in provisional safeguards such as a punitive tariff on the imported product.

The review showed that cement imports have increased continuously between 2013-17, with imports rising 72 per cent in 2017. Furthermore, the weighted average landed cost of imports is lower than the average selling price of the domestic product, indicating a price undercutting of 14 per cent. Local producers have been forced to reduce prices by almost 10 per cent to compete, according to the DTI.