The Philippine Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), led by Secretary Cristina Roque, has called for tighter regulations on building materials, particularly cement, to enhance safety in a country constantly exposed to earthquakes, typhoons, and other natural disasters.
Roque made the remarks during a tour of Republic Cement’s plant in Teresa, Rizal, urging that all construction materials meet higher quality and safety benchmarks. The push involves updating existing rules under Department Administrative Order 17-06:2017, which currently mandates certification for Portland and blended hydraulic cements. The DTI’s Bureau of Philippine Standards (BPS) is drafting revisions to cement standards addressing alkali content, testing protocols, post-shipment inspections, and full product testing.
There are now 179 cement manufacturers licensed under Philippine National Standards: 95 are Portland cement makers, 81 produce blended hydraulic cement, and three make masonry cement. Local industry players have voiced support, saying stricter standards will restore public confidence and improve infrastructure quality.
The move is part of a broader DTI campaign to clamp down on substandard construction materials. Earlier this year, the agency included building materials under the Tatak Pinoy Act, prioritising Filipino-made, quality-certified goods, and stepped up enforcement actions to remove unsafe materials from the market.
