Hazel
F. Gloria
CEBU CITY,April 1 (PIA) – The Fair Trade and Enforcement Bureau
and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI-7) intensified the monitoring and
enforcement activities on the implementation of the Philippine National
Standards (PNS) on construction materials.
Recently, two enforcement teams composed of technical experts from FTEB and
DTI-7 staff monitored six business establishments in the Bohol.
The joint enforcement activity resulted in the issuance of Notice
of Violation to six business establishments in Tagbilaran City and
Tubigon, Bohol for violation of markings and labelling requirements under R.A
7394, RA 4109 or the Standards Law and DAO 2, series of 2007.
Some P258,326.00 worth of estimated value of goods were seized
and inventoried.
DTI-7 reminds consumers to purchase only construction materials
that are approved by the Bureau of Philippine Standards.
DTI-7 regional director Asteria Caberte said only those bearing the Philippine
Standard (PS) and Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) marks are safe and reliable
for construction use.
To ensure the quality of construction materials, DTI requires
manufacturers and importers of these products to undergo government tests and
inspections.
Caberte declared that manufacturers and importers with the PS license or ICC
certificate are authorized to distribute and sell with the printed PS mark or
the ICC sticker affixed to their products.
These required labels convey to the consumers that the products
have passed the safety and performance tests and will guide them in
distinguishing reliable and safe goods from uncertified ones, which could be
inferior or substandard.
Caberte added that consumers should always seek for PS and ICC
marks when buying construction materials.
“Aside from checking the required labels, consumers also need to
know the proper use of these products to avoid untoward incidents”, she
advised. (mbcn/hfg/PIA-7/with reports from DTI-7)