5 in Negros Occ., 2 in Guimaras, 4 in Iloilo, 3 in Aklan, 3 in Antique, 1 in Capiz
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Western Visayas (Region 6) has caught 18 hardware stores selling uncertified or substandard steel bars during its monitoring on Friday.
The department’s teams have randomly monitored 41 establishments in the region.
In a press conference, Rebecca Rascon, DTI 6 regional director, said the government has continually informed business owners of the product standards qualified in the market.
“To our business owners, most especially those who carry mandatory products, we have been doing the orientation and fora about the product standards but there are still those who violate,” Rascon said.
The Philippine National Standards (PNS) requires that all deformed steel bars shall have a clearly embossed manufacturer’s logo as well as the bar size in line with PNS requirements.
Sizes vary in diameter from 10mm, 12mm, 16mm, 20mm, 25mm, 28mm, 32mm, 36mm, 40mm and 50mm.
On the other hand, rerolled steel bars vary from 6mm, 7mm, and 8mm in diameter sizes.
After its monitoring, four establishments were caught selling substandard steel bars out of the 17 establishments monitored in both Iloilo City and province; Aklan province has three out of the five stores checked; Antique province with three out of the seven stores monitored;
Negros Occidental province with five out of the six monitored; Guimaras province with two out of the three establishments checked; and, Capiz province with one violator out of the three hardware stores monitored.
Rascon said the DTI has prioritized the inspection of the steel bars because using substandard steel bars in constructing residential, commercial, and industrial buildings can cause harm to the public.
“We need to seriously enforce the law because using substandard products can cause loss of life and property. Business owners should not deny the consumers with the quality that they pay for,” Rascon said.
ELECTRICAL PRODUCTS, TOO.
Apart from steel bars, some establishments in the monitoring of the department sometime in June were also found selling substandard electrical and hardware products.
Substandard electrical and hardware products do not bear the Philippine Standard (PS) mark and the Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) sticker, she said.
“As long as they do not conform to what is required for the mandatory products, it is considered violation,” Rascon said.
The 18 establishments that do not conform to the standards are issued with Notice of Violation and are given 48 hours to explain at DTI Provincial Offices why formal charges should not be filed against them.
Rascon said sanctions for violating the Products Standards Law include the imposition of administrative fine and confiscation of non-conforming products for disposition in accordance with DTI and Commission on Audit rules and regulations.
The DTI 6 also urged the consumers to report to them the violating establishment for the department to take prompt action.* (Gail Momblan)