Cement importers refute claims of sub-standard cement

Importers of cement into the Philippines have disputed claims that their cement fails to meet regulatory standards.

"All legally-imported cement retailed in the Philippine market is guaranteed to meet stringent quality controls. Our members import cement from various countries, including Vietnam. But wherever imported cement is sourced, we wish to stress that imported cement undergoes a three-tier quality control procedure mandated by (Department of Trade and Industry)," the Cement Importers Association of the Philippines (CIAP) said in a statement over the weekend.

In addition, CIAP said imported cement undergoes quality controls that are stricter than those imposed on domestic cement, whose producers undergo only one annual audit.
"Although the ideal situation is for unannounced audits, local manufacturers undergo only once-a-year audits and the audits are even announced and mutually scheduled. In other words, cement products of local manufacturers are tested only once a year," CIAP said.

"On the other hand, for imported cement, each and every batch is tested by the DTI. If there is more than one batch in one shipment, we are required to provide samples for each batch for DTI to test," the association added.