DTI destroys P111-M substandard batteries
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on Friday said it disposed of P110.74 million worth of substandard lead-acid storage batteries, marking the government’s latest blow against the entrenched local black market for illegal consumer products.
The DTI said the collection includes 21,403 substandard lead-acid storage batteries seized during a major operation in September last year, conducted in collaboration with the National Bureau of Investigation. The illicit goods were destroyed in a ceremonial event held at a facility in Valenzuela City.
According to the department, the confiscated products lacked the mandatory Philippine Standard marks and import commodity clearance stickers, in direct violation of Republic Act No. 4109, or more commonly known as the Product Standards Law.
In a separate operation, the DTI said it reexported 19,499 noncompliant rubber inner tubes for motorcycles, worth around P500,000, back to their country of origin. It said the products failed tensile strength and elongation tests, indicating they did not meet the minimum requirements set by government standards.
“We take this work seriously because safety is non-negotiable for the millions of Filipinos who depend on motorcycles for work, school, and livelihood,” Trade Secretary Ma. Cristina Roque said in a statement.
