DTI seizes P 2.4M worth of substandard steel products

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on Friday said it has seized over P2.4 million worth of noncompliant steel products during the first quarter of the year, marking the government’s latest crackdown on the widespread sale of substandard constructions materials in the country.

The DTI said that its Fair Trade Enforcement Bureau (FTEB) confiscated a total of 7,723 units of uncertified steel products after inspecting hardware stores in the Calabarzon region and in Metro Manila.

The government operation in Metro Manila took place last April 8, while the one in the region south of the capital was conducted last February 27 and March 21.

The government agency said that low carbon steel wires and deformed steel bars, respectively valued at P1.59 million and P866,500, were the most high-value products that were confiscated.

Other types of substandard steel products that were seized are equal leg steel angle bars and steel wire nails.

The DTI said that 289 retail firms were inspected during the first quarter, of which 41 were found selling noncompliant steel products.

Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual said that his department has been intensifying its monitoring and enforcement efforts through the creation of a task force dubbed “Kalasag” or shield in Filipino.

Risks

“We urge consumers to be vigilant and to buy only certified products to ensure their safety,” Pascual said in a statement.

“The risk of accidents is substantially higher when you use substandard steel. Please don’t compromise the well-being of your family for price,” he added.

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Late last month, Trade Assistant Secretary Amanda Nograles said that the sale of noncompliant construction materials had become rampant in the country.

Nograles said that a buying culture where sellers ask buyers whether they want to buy the more expensive certified products or the much cheaper ones that are questionable in quality has become widespread.

Nograles, who is the spokesperson for the DTI’s consumer protection group, said these substandard products pose a danger to consumers as these compromise the structural integrity of houses that were built with them.

She also said they want a review of the penalties for sellers of these products, citing that a fine of P100,000 to P300,000 is too low as a deterrent.