Tariff commission to complete cement dumping probe by June
MANILA, Philippines — The Tariff Commission (TC) aims to conclude its investigation into alleged cement dumping by June, which will determine whether safeguard measures will be imposed on this imported construction material.
During the public consultation on Thursday, the commission said stakeholders would be given until April 4 to submit their initial position papers.
READ: Tariff body probes ‘dumping’ of cement from Vietnam
“Then the ocular inspection verification of submissions will begin on April 4, 2025 while the staff report will be issued on May 15, 2025,” the TC announced during the hearing.
“Comments on the staff report are due on May 22, 2025, which is also indicative along with the submission of affidavits of witnesses and the list of proposed additional issues for the public hearing,” it added.
Public hearings are also tentatively scheduled to take place from June 2 to June 6, the commission said.
Meanwhile, final position papers are to be submitted by June 16, while the submission of a formal investigation report to the office of the Trade Secretary will be on June 24.
Safeguards
In late February, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) ordered provisional safeguard measures for two types of cement entering the country. It imposed a cash bond of P400 per metric ton for a period of 200 days.
The DTI arrived at the decision following the safeguards investigation covering ordinary Portland cement and blended cement that had entered the Philippines from 2019 to June 2024. It found a “causal link” between the increased import of these cement types and serious injury to the domestic industry after a preliminary investigation.
“The increased volume of imports, both in absolute terms and relative to domestic production, was found to be the substantial cause of the overall impairment in the local industry,” the DTI said in its Department Administrative Order No. 25-01 series of 2025.
Under the order, the DTI exempted over 190 overseas sources and countries from the safeguard measures.
Top sources
Vietnam, where approximately 93 percent of the Philippine cement import comes from, is not on this list. Neither is Indonesia, which is in second place with a 5-percent share.
In contrast, China, which is in third place with a 1 percent stake, is included in the exemption list.
According to the Cement Manufacturers Association of the Philippines, Inc. (CeMAP), the country’s annual cement demand stands at 35 million tons.
Meanwhile, the sector produces at least 50 million tons per year, indicating that local manufacturers can adequately meet domestic supply needs.
