DTI mulls safeguards on float glass imports

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is looking into a possible imposition of safeguard measures on float glass imports following a petition from Pioneer Float Glass Manufacturing Inc. (PFGMI).

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said the DTI has acted on a petition by the Philippine float glass industry to study possible preliminary safeguard measures on the importation of clear and tinted float glass.

PFGMI, the sole manufacturer of float glass in the country, submitted an application for safeguard measures on imports of clear and tinted float glass before the DTI in July last year.

Clear float glass and tinted float glass are used for exterior and interior window and door openings, curtain walls, huge scenic openings, showcase windows, furniture applications, interior room partitions and basic glass for mirrors.

The DTI report showed the volume of imported clear float and clear reflective glass rose from 2013 to 2016.

In particular, imports, which reached 4,337 metric tons (MT) in 2013, jumped 646 percent to 32,351 MT in 2014, grew further to 49,289 MT in 2015, and increased again to reach 58,787 MT in 2016.

In 2017, imports of clear float and reflective glass declined to 42,029 MT following anti-dumping measures imposed on clear float glass from China.

In terms of tinted float and tinted reflective glass, imports of the products increased from 2013 to 2015.

In particular, imports of tinted float and tinted reflective glass, which reached 6,005 MT in 2013, grew 274 percent to 22,431 MT in 2014, and increased further by 127 percent to reach 50,974 MT in 2015.

In 2016, imports declined 15 percent to 43,255 MT, and dipped again by two percent to 42,312 MT in 2017.

During the period covered by the investigation, the country’s major sources of imported clear float and clear reflective glass, as well as tinted float and tinted reflective glass were China, Indonesia and Malaysia.

Under Republic Act 8800 or the Safeguard Measures Act, safeguard measures or higher duties can be imposed on imported goods to provide relief to local players.

The safeguard measures can be applied when it is found there is an increase in imports of a certain commodity and such has hurt the local industry.