Bohol, Tagbilaran City.The Department of Trade and Industryheightensits monitoring and enforcement activities on the implementation of the Philippine National Standards (PNS) forconstruction materials such as Ply wood, Steel bars and Galvanized Iron (G. I.) sheets.
DTIs enforcement arm, the Fair Trade and Enforcement Bureau (FTEB) in partnership with DTI-VII,conducted monitoring and enforcement activities herelast March 11, 2015. Two enforcement teams composed of technical experts fromFTEB and DTI-7 offices were fielded to do the actual enforcement ofsix randomly selected Business Establishments (BEs).
The activity is part of DTIs move to tighten its inspection activities for construction materials and clean up the market of uncertified and unmarked Plywoods, Steel bars and G. I. sheets.
Director Aster Caberte of DTI Region 7 said that the agency is closely monitoring standards compliance for consumer products and construction materials, especially during this time that Bohol LGUs are currently undergoing reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts after the October 2013 earthquake.Cabertealso cited provisions of Republic Act 7394 or the Consumer Act of the Philippines, which mandates DTI to conduct monitoring and enforcement activities on the proper marking and labelling of consumer products. “We have notified our field offices in the provinces to increase the frequency of their market visits to check on more products, including electrical supplies,”Caberte concluded.
Among the basic markings that consumers can check on Plywood and G. I. sheets prior to their purchase are the company name, trade name and address of the manufacturer; thickness in millimeter (mm); width in mm and the date of manufacture (month and year). G.I. sheet markings must contain the phrase“For Roofing Use” on its face.
The joint enforcement activity resulted inthe issuance of Notice of Violations to six business establishments in Tagbilaran City and Tubigon, where products did not contain propermarkings and labelling requirements as stipulated under R.A 7394, RA 4109 (Standards Law) and DAO 2, series of 2007. Total estimated value of goods seized during the activity is placed at P 258,326.00.(DTIBohol)
