Quality checks now required for galvanized coils, sheets used for roofing

Galvanized coils and sheets used as roofing materials will now need to undergo mandatory quality checks before these can be sold in the market to ensure consumer safety, said the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

According to a department administrative order (DAO) issued in December of 2020, hot-dip metallic-coated and prepainted galvanized coils and sheets need to come from local or foreign manufacturers that have a valid Philippine Standard (PS) Quality Certification License, which assures the public that the products they are buying pass quality and safety standards.

This requirement applies only to those products used in roofing and general applications, the DTI said in a recent statement. The certification is not required for products to be used as raw materials for the manufacture of automotive products, appliances, and furniture, among others. But under DAO No. 20-10, series of 2020, importers who will bring in the galvanized coils and sheets for purposes other than roofing or general applications will need to first secure a certificate of exemption from the DTI- Bureau of Philippine Standards (BPS).

Galvanized coils and sheets for roofing now join other products listed for mandatory certification. Others on the list are seat belts, portland cement, electric stoves, and television sets.

In explaining why it is important to regulate galvanized coils and sheets for roofing, DTI Consumer Protection Group Undersecretary Ruth Castelo pointed to the typhoons that regularly batter the country, making it imperative to make sure that construction materials are of top quality.

“Due to its geographical location, the Philippines is constantly battered by tropical cyclones, with approximately 20 to 25 tropical cyclones entering the Philippine area of responsibility yearly,” she said.

“With this circumstance, it is crucial to ensure the integrity and strength of construction materials in the country to withstand frequent storms. We are confident that this new DAO will address this concern to benefit all of us,” she added.