THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) 7 vowed to strengthen its enforcement against substandard construction materials on the back of the massive infrastructure development in the country.
DTI 7 Director Asteria Caberte said the agency is on the lookout for products that may affect the durability of a building especially that Central Visayas is in the full swing of a construction boom.
Caberte said the DTI wants to clean the market shelves of substandard products.
“While you’re building, at least, our suppliers of materials may they be electrical or structural, should be compliant with mandatory standards,” Caberte said.
She called on suppliers, retailers and wholesalers to sell only construction materials that passed the government standards.
“They should shape up because there will be no letup from the DTI. We are seriously looking into this,” she said.
Caberte said a penalty of P25,000 per product is imposed on establishments caught selling substandard products.
The DTI vowed to strictly enforce the Consumer Act of the Philippines and the Product Standards Law.
The Consumer Act aims to protect the interests of the consumer, promote his general welfare and to establish standards of conduct for business and industry.
Under the Product Standards Law, all materials must be certified to have met quality standards from importation to distribution and offer for sale or manufacturing from the Bureau of Product Standards (BPS).
In June 2019, 14 hardware stores in Cebu were caught selling substandard products in June 2019.
Among the uncertified and substandard items confiscated by the DTI were re-rolled steel bars, incandescent bulbs and PVC electrical tapes. The items seized amounted to P254,789.
Caberte said the DTI’s regional and provincial offices conduct surprise inspections on retailers and suppliers to check if their products comply with the Philippine National Standards on quality and safety. (JOB)