The United Filipino Consumers and Commuters (UFCC) is calling for the scrapping of the proposed safety duty on imported cement, warning of its potential domino effect on prices, which could burden the consuming public.
UFCC president RJ Javellana said he issued the call with the impending imposition of a provisional safeguard duty of P400 per metric ton or P16 per 40-kilogram bag of imported ordinary portland and blended cement for three years following the issuance of the DTI Department Administrative Order (DAO) 25-01 on the motu proprio safeguard measures investigation on the importation of cement.
Early this year, Trade Secretary Cristina Roque, pursuant to the Safeguard Measures Act, earlier issued a notice directing a preliminary investigation covering cement importation for the years 2019 to 2024.
Among the factors that triggered the investigation is the increase in cement imports — 10% in 2020, 17% in 2021, and 5% in 2023. The share of imports also increased from 30% in 2019, 47% in 2023, and 51% in January to June 2024.
In line with this probe, the Trade Department issued DAO 25-01, which proposes a provisional safeguard duty for imported cement.
The Bureau of Customs, in March, issued Circular 70-2025, which stated that the provisional safeguard measure shall take effect 200 days from the date of the issuance of the circular, pending the outcome of the formal investigation by the Tariff Commission.
The Tariff Commission is still reviewing the proposed imposition of safeguard duties on imported cement.
“Ang P16 na dagdag taripa-presyo kada bag ng semento ay babalikatin nito sa dulo ng mga kaawa-awang consumers. Ito ay isang porma ng pass-through ng mga negosyante,” Javellana said.
“Ang epekto ng taas-presyo sa produktong semento ay isang domino effect sa mga gamit pang konstruksyon. Kapag gumalaw ang presyo ng semento o bakal ay halos gumagalaw ang presyo ng iba pang produkto sa hardware store,” he said.
The consumer rights advocate said the only ones who will benefit from the tariffs are big businesses who can manipulate cement prices.
Local cement makers and the Federation of Philippine Industries earlier expressed support for the DTI probe, citing the urgent need to safeguard the domestic cement sector. (GMA Integrated News)
