MANILA, Philippines — The Cement Manufacturers’ Association of the Philippines (CeMAP) welcomed the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)’s decision to impose a safeguard duty on cement imports and vowed to ensure a stable supply of the building material to support the country’s needs.
“While we had hoped for a higher tariff, we fully respect the DTI’s decision. We view this as a fair measure consistent with trade rules and supportive of the competitiveness of the local cement industry,” CeMAP said in a statement.
Earlier this week, Trade Secretary Cristina Roque said the DTI would adopt the Tariff Commission (TC)’s recommendation to impose a safeguard duty amounting to P14 per 40-kilogram bag or P349 per metric ton of imported Ordinary Portland Cement Type 1 and blended cement for a period of three years.
The TC recommended the imposition of a safeguard measure after finding a causal link between the serious injury to the local cement industry and increased imports of cement products.
To ensure stable prices and a steady cement supply, Roque said the safeguard duty would be subject to review.
CeMAP executive director Renato Baja had earlier said that the group asked the DTI to impose a safeguard measure of P600 on cement imports to level the playing field for both imports and locally produced cement.
The CeMAP’s proposed amount was based on the comparison of the landed cost of imported cement and the factory gate price of locally produced cement.
Cement suppliers from countries like Vietnam can sell at lower prices because they receive subsidies.
With the imposition of a safeguard duty, CeMAP said it expects local cement manufacturers to improve their capacity utilization, which was only at 53 percent last year.
CeMAP said the safeguard duty would also enable the local cement industry to better support the country’s growing infrastructure needs.
“CeMAP remains committed to ensuring the steady supply of quality cement products and to contributing to the country’s infrastructure development,” the group said.
Under the Safeguard Measures Act, the government can impose safeguard measures, such as tariffs, to protect the domestic industry from the harm caused by increased imports.
Source: https://www.philstar.com/business/2025/10/19/2480809/cement-makers-welcome-safeguard-duty-vow-ensure-stable-supply
