Taiwan imposes 45% tariff on RP cement

Taiwan has imposed punitive tariffs averaging 45 percent on Philippine cement exports for a period of five years following findings that local cement had injured Taiwan’s cement industry.

The Taiwan Cement Corp. (TCC) had filed an anti-dumping complaint against Philippine cement exports in July last year.

By October, the Taiwanese government already decided that Philippine cement export had injured its cement industry.

Taiwan’s Ministry of Finance imposed this month the punitive tariff averaging 45 percent.

In contrast, industry observers said the local cement industry has not gotten support from the Philippine government.

Two years ago, the local cement industry had asked for safeguard measures to protect local manufacturers from import surges.

Only last month, the local cement industry lost its case after the Tariff Commission decided that imported cement did not create significant injury to the local industry.

From zero in 1998, imported cement now accounts for 25 percent of Philippine market.

In the case of Taiwan, Philippine cement exports only account for four percent of the Taiwan market, and yet the Taiwanese government saw it fit to protect its own cement industry.

In the Philippines, TCC was the first to start bringing in imported cement through its Philippine subsidiary, TCC Cement Corp.

Industry sources said TCC was discovered by the Bureau of Customs late last year to have falsified its shipping records to bring down its landed cost and the duties it pays the government.

The BIR recommended the revocation of TCC’s import accreditation and ordered it to pay P4 million in unpaid duties.