Pagsira sa P18.8M na halaga ng sub-standard steel bars sa Laguna, ipinag-utos ng DTI

Agad iniutos ni Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Fred Pascual ang pagsira sa tinatayang P18,800,000 na halaga ng sub-standard steel bars.

Ang sub-standard deformed steel bars ay ginawa sa local steel mill sa Laguna at nadiskubreng hindi sumunod sa mga requirements ng regulasyon ng DTI sa pamamagitan ng kanyang Bureau of Philippine Standards (BPS), nang isagawa ang sorpresang factory audit noong March 20, 2023.

Nasa kabuuang 136 na bundles ng deformed steel bars ang nakaputol sa mga piraso sa warehouse ng pagawaan nitong June 7-9, 2023.

“Sub-standard products must be destroyed immediately to ensure that these products will not be distributed in the market for the purchase of unknowing consumers,” sabi ni Secretary Pascual.

“Our country is located within the Pacific Ring of Fire and the Department needs to be extremely vigilant and has to intensify our surveillance, monitoring, and enforcement of technical regulations for construction materials, especially for cement and steel products. I commend the DTI Consumer Protection Group (DTI-CPG) for their relentless efforts to consistently perform their mandates,” dugtong ng kalihim.

Nagsagawa ang BPS ng unannounced audit matapos ireport ng isang concerned citizen ang presensiya ng steel bars sa merkado na nagtataglay ng umano’y hindi rehistradong logo.

Ayon sa DTI papayagan lamang ng BPS ang manufacturer na muling mag-operate at ituloy ang produksiyon nito pagkatapos ang satisfactory result ng verification audit at conforming third party test results para sa saklaw na mga produkto.

“We are reminding all manufacturers that the Department shall not waiver in its mandate to protect consumers. As we continue to promote a conducive business environment, we also expect that manufacturers, particularly of products covered by the DTI-BPS’ mandatory certification, shall consistently adhere to regulations in order to produce and distribute only good quality and safe products for the benefit of Filipino consumers,” binigyang-diin ni Sec. Pascual.

Samantala hinihikayat ng DTI Consumer Protection Group ang lahat ng consumers o concerned citizen na agad isumbong ang anumang insidente ng posibleng sub-standard o uncertified products sa DTI-CPG Contact information: Consumer Hotline 1-384, ConsumerCare@dti.gov.ph, ftebsmd@dti.gov.ph, fteb.ed@dti.gov.ph, cpab@dti.gov.ph, o dumirekta sa DTI-BPS sa bps@dti.gov.ph. (Bhelle Gamboa)