DTI ‘inaction’ on adulterated cement scored

A consumer advocate Wednesday called for speedier government action against the proliferation of substandard cement products in the local market, and took to task government officials for failing to act promptly on the problem.

Specifically, National Consumer Affairs Council (NCAC) chair Jose Pepito questioned why “dangerous” cement products continued to be sold around the country despite the issue having already been brought by local manufacturers before the Department of Trade and Industry.

“This complaint has been there for a long time, so I’m wondering why nothing has been done about it,” he said in an interview with the Inquirer. “Many consumers may not be aware of the problem because they are not technically knowledgeable. So what is the government doing about it?”

Pepito’s view echoes those of Cement Manufacturers Association of the Philippines president and former Trade Undersecretary Ernesto Ordoñez who recently wrote the Office of the Ombudsman complaining about the Department of Trade and Industry in general, and Trade Undersecretary Victor Dimagiba in particular.

In his complaint, Ordoñez said the department was guilty of “gross incompetence and possible criminal negligence” for failing to act promptly to stop the proliferation of “adulterated” cement in the local market.

Ordoñez said DTI’s plan in addressing the proliferation of “dangerous” cement products in the country was inadequate.

“I believe the [DTI] plans as related to me show the same gross incompetence and possible criminal negligence exhibited during the last 10 months,” he said in his complaint letter. “During all this time, the supervising DTI undersecretary was Dimagiba.”

The department’s allegedly inadequate response comes despite the results of an independent laboratory test showing that the cement in question failed to pass the government’s own safety standards.

NCAC’s Pepito said the cement products in question were damaged by moisture at sea while in transit, but were “re-bagged” for local sale, nonetheless. Other cement products meanwhile were mixed with sand, posing significant safety risks to unsuspecting consumers who use them for construction work.

Sought for comment on the issue, Dimagiba said he was unaware of any complaint against him with the Ombudsman filed by CEMAP.

Instead, he turned the tables on Ordonez saying the former government official was the subject of the complaint filed by a cement firm with the Ombudsman.