The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), through the Bureau of Philippine Standards (BPS), has prevented the sale and distribution of 600 pieces of substandard equal-leg steel angle bars worth P740,000 in Valenzuela City.
In a news statement released on Monday, the Philippines’s national standards body said the substandard steel products, were found “non-conforming” to the elongation requirement of Philippine National Standard (PNS) 657:2008 (Hot-Rolled Steel Sections-Equal-leg Angles-Specifications) as confirmed by third-party testing.
“Elongation refers to the permanent extension in the gauge length of a steel bar which is measured after rupture,” the BPS said.
The standards arm of DTI said it witnessed the destruction of the substandard equal-leg steel angle bars at the manufacturer’s warehouse in Valenzuela City on January 20.
Further, it said the substandard products were cut using an oxy-acetylene torch prior to transfer to the manufacturer’s smelting facility.
The equal-leg steel angle bar is among the 111 products covered under the BPS’s Mandatory Product Certification Schemes.
Meanwhile, under the steel products, these are listed under mandatory certification: BI/GI steel pipes Black and Galvanized Longitudinally Welded Lightweight Steel Tubes; Deformed Steel Bars; Equal-Leg Steel Angle Bars; Rerolled Steel Bars; Low Carbon Steel Wires and Steel Wire Nails.
According to the web site of BPS, part of its mandate, as provided in the Consumer Act of the Philippines, is to protect consumers against hazards to health and safety as well as to assure the public of the consistency of standardized products in the market.
Further, to carry out its mandate, the BPS said it provides for the standardization and certification of products, both locally manufactured and imported, giving the consumers access to quality and safe products conforming to the relevant Philippine National Standards (PNS).
Last February 16, DTI Assistant Secretary for Consumer Protection Group (CPG) Ann Claire C. Cabochan led the enforcement of DTI’s enforcement arm, the Fair Trade Enforcement Bureau (FTEB).
The said enforcement operation resulted in the confiscation of 133 units of uncertified extension cord sets, self-ballasted LED lamps, lightings, and sanitary wares such as urinals and lavatories, worth P241,529.
Out of the nine inspected firms in Manila, six were issued with a notice of violation (NOV).
On the same day, the enforcement teams of DTI-FTEB also inspected 11 vape shops selling vaporized nicotine and non-nicotine products, and novel tobacco products.
Out of the 11 inspected, FTEB said eight non-conforming shops were issued NOV. The inspection of vape shops resulted in the sealing of 3,318 units worth P863,240.
Vapor product device/vapor product system is listed under the consumer electronics category that is among the products covered by the BPS’ mandatory certification. -30-
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