Gov’t urged to name substandard steel sellers, makers

MANILA  -The government-recognized institution which represents the local iron and steel industry is urging authorities to name in public the manufacturers and sellers of substandard steel products, amid the state’s crackdown on the illicit trade.

The Philippine Iron and Steel Institute (PISI) on Thursday said this, even as they lauded the government’s effort to curb these illegal practices and expressed optimism that the government’s campaign should allay public concerns over the safety, stability and durability of structures.

“We commend Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual and Consumer Protection Group Undersecretary Ruth Castelo for pressing the government’s drive to ensure that only high-quality, compliant steel products reach the market,” PISI president Ronald Magsajo said in a statement.

Magsajo urged the Trade Secretary to go a step further and name those companies netted in the crackdown “for the sake of transparency and safety of the consuming public”.

The PISI official also said that the ongoing crackdown on substandard and uncertified steel “is meant to protect the public from bad actors in the industry that are peddling products that compromise the integrity of homes, buildings and public infrastructure and putting millions of lives at risk”.

To recall, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in June seized close to P30 million worth of steel products in Davao City and Laguna that did not meet quality and safety standards.

Around P8 million worth of black and galvanized iron steel pipes, deformed steel bars, low-carbon steel wires and polyethylene pipes for potable water were confiscated, with authorities issuing notices of violation for 22 of the 23 firms that were inspected. INQ