THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on Monday warned steel manufacturers and distributors are facing government sanctions for selling substandard products.
An industry group has informed the DTI of the proliferation of substandard steel in the market.
The DTI’s Fair Trade Group said the department will intensify its enforcement action on steel products after the Philippine Iron and Steel Institute (PISI) submitted a market report that flagged supposedly non-compliant steel rebar and angle bar products in the market.
The DTI said it will continue to conduct market enforcement on retail outlets that could lead to filing of cases and confiscation of substandard steel products.
The department will also visit and audit PS-licensed manufacturers supposedly producing and distributing substandard steel.
In a letter to Trade Assistant Secretary Agaton Uvero on April 7, 2025, PISI president Ronald Magsajo identified the companies selling steel products that failed tests conducted by DTI accredited laboratories.
Part of the institute’s advocacy is buying steel products on their own and having these tested by DTI accredited testing facilities before reporting to the department.
PISI furnished the DTI with results of their so-called “market-test-buy” activities for 2024 and 2025. The report included steel rebar covered under the Philippine National Standards (PNS) 49 and steel angle bars under PNS 657.
“The continued high instances of non-conformity of samples purchased lead us to conclude that there are larger quantities of substandard products being sold in the market today,” Magsajo said in his letter.
“We believe the data provided can help the DTI-Fair Trade Group in its efforts at ensuring that only certified products are made available to the consuming public. We humbly request that the DTI Fair Trade Group continue its market enforcement activities and, as necessary, subject violators to the maximum penalties allowed by law against the offending parties,” he added.
In its statement, the DTI said it will continue to engage the industry association to reinforce strict adherence to PNS requirements and promote full compliance with PNS of consumer products being manufactured and sold in the market.
The Philippine National Standards has been developed, adopted and published by the Bureau of Product Standards (BPS) as reference for quality and safety requirements against various products and services.
The DTI noted its mandate to uphold the Consumer Act and relevant laws, as well as the recent directive of Trade Secretary Cristina Roque to ensure that all products offered for sale in the market comply with the PNS in terms of quality and safety.
The DTI warns that confirmed violations of Republic Act 4109 which establishes standards, inspection and certification requirements for various products in the country, as well as penalties for non-compliance and false testimony, will result in the appropriate enforcement actions, including the suspension or revocation of PS licenses.
A PS license issued by the BPS certifies manufacturers whose products consistently meet the requirements of the PNS. It signifies that a manufacturer’s production process and quality management system adhere to strict standards, ensuring product safety and quality.
Repeated violations were warned they would be meted with strict penalties under the Consumer Act.
