DTI starts probe on cement importations

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has asked the Bureau of Customs to disclose the records on cement importations from Taiwan and Japan to determine if local cement manufacturers have a case against the two countries for dumping cement into the Philippines.

The Bureau of Import Services (BIS), an agency attached to the DTI and which is in charge of dumping complaints, said it has begun verifying the information presented by the Philippine Cement Manufacturers Corp. (Philcemcor) to determine if a case could be filed against Taiwan and Japan.

BIS director Alex Arcilla told reporters that the bureau would be looking at import entries from the BOC to determine if importers were using predatory pricing techniques to the disadvantage of local cement manufacturers.

"Dumping is a very difficult case to prove," said Arcilla, adding that the process is long and tedious.

"By Monday we will know if Philcemcor's petition has a basis and if we should took further to build up the case," Arcilla said. "Only then will we write the cement importers named in the complaint as well as the exporters in the countries where the cement is coming from."

If Philcemcor's complaint is strong enough, the BIS will turn the case over to the Tariff Commission which will adjudicate the case.

If the dumping case is proven, cement imports from Taiwan and Japan would be subject to an anti-dumping bond that will level the price difference between domestic cement and cheap imported cement.