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Improve lives of others — Marcos

President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. spoke before veterans during the commemoration of the 83rd Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor) in Pilar, Bataan on Wednesday. — PPA POOL/NOEL B PABALATE

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on Wednesday urged Filipinos to advance causes that would “improve the lives of our fellow Filipinos.”

“In honoring our forebears, may we recognize that valor is not solely about strength and resolve in the face of adversity but also about small acts of compassion, generosity, and kindness that creates meaningful ripples of positive change in our communities,” he said in a statement.

Mr. Marcos also ordered all government agencies to speed up the processing of benefits for members of uniformed personnel killed in action.

“So to all of you, the beneficiaries of our programs for the families of those who have fallen while serving the country, today I can say that we will finally provide everything you have been waiting for, which has taken so long,” he said in Filipino at the awarding of certificates from the National Housing Authority and financial assistance to the families of fallen soldiers and members of the Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit. — John Victor D. Ordoñez

Boost MSMEs through Bagong Pilipinas Marketplace, DTI told

President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. attended the opening ceremony of the Department of Trade and Industry’s National Food Fair at SM Megamall in Mandaluyong on Wednesday. — REVOLI CORTEZ/PPA POOL

PHILIPPINE President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on Wednesday called on the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to make full use of its digital marketplace platforms to expand the market of micro, small, medium enterprises (MSMEs) as well as large businesses, especially those in the food services industry.

At the DTI’s National Food Fair in Mandaluyong City, streamed live on YouTube, he cited the importance of the upcoming DTI Bagong Pilipinas Marketplace digital platform to expand supply chains and to make delivery of goods and services more efficient for these smaller businesses.

“The DTI will lead the implementation of a sustainable framework that aims to ensure the long-term functionality and support for MSMEs in today’s digital economy,” he said.

In a statement, the Trade and Industry department said its Bagong Pilipinas Marketplace, which aims to be the largest business-to-business e-commerce platform, is set to launch the platform this year to promote MSMEs to a global audience of culinary enthusiasts and business buyers.

“We must therefore work hand in hand to provide our local businesses with the knowledge and the resources that they need to navigate this new digital landscape,” Mr. Marcos said.

“But we are also committed to ensuring that our entrepreneurs and consumers are protected through secure cashless payment systems.” — John Victor D. Ordoñez

UN treaty sought for elderly

PHILIPPINE STAR/MIGUEL DE GUZMAN

THE DEPARTMENT of Foreign Affairs  (DFA) said that the Philippines is calling for the United Nations (UN) to draft a treaty supporting the rights of older persons globally.

In a statement, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique A. Manalo said that the Philippines “will push further until we have a substantive UN treaty honoring the rights and dignity of older persons worldwide.”

The DFA said that Argentina, Brazil, Gambia, and Slovenia also support the strengthening of human right protection, including older persons globally.

An intergovernmental working group is set to convene before the end of the year to establish the foundations for future negotiations.

“The Philippines recognizes the challenges faced by the older population, including violence and discrimination based on age and exclusion from access to social security and decision-making processes,” the DFA added. — Adrian H. Halili

Duterte lawyer’s ID request slammed

PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

AN International Criminal Court (ICC)-accredited lawyer on Wednesday slammed the recent proposals made by the lead legal counsel of former Philippine President Rodrigo R. Duterte regarding identification requirements and legal representation for the victims in ongoing investigations.

Center for International Law (CenterLaw) President Joel Ruiz Butuyan rejected Mr. Duterte’s lead counsel, Nicholas Kaufman’s suggestion that victims be required to present government-issued identification such as passports or driver’s licenses.

While still not the official representative of the victims before the ICC, Mr. Butuyan handled drug war-related cases in the Philippines.

He argued that such documents are inaccessible to the “poorest of the poor”—those who, he said, comprise the majority of individuals killed during Mr. Duterte’s bloody anti-drug campaign.

“The kind of IDs being demanded by Mr. Kaufman are documents that are badges of wealth and privilege in the Philippines,” he said in a statement. “They are unavailable to victims who wallow in poverty and who constitute the overwhelming number of the people killed by his client.”

He accused Mr. Kaufman of making proposals that reflect “total ignorance” of the local socioeconomic conditions, adding that the British-Israeli lawyer is likely “speaking from his experience as a citizen of a wealthy country.”

Mr. Butuyan, who is one of the five Filipino lawyers accredited in the international tribunal, warned that enforcing stringent identification requirements would effectively deny recognition to victims’ families, compounding the harm they have already suffered.

“To refuse them recognition because of their lack of government-issued IDs is to make them suffer grave injustice twice over,” he said.

The lawyer also rebuffed Mr. Kaufman’s suggestion that the Office of Public Counsel for Victims (OPCV) be appointed to represent the victims, calling it “totally abhorrent” that Duterte’s camp would attempt to influence the choice of legal representation.

Mr. Kaufman, the victims must have the say on who should speak for them, and not you, who speaks for the mass murderer,” he said.

The ICC is currently probing alleged crimes against humanity committed during Mr. Duterte’s anti-drug campaign. The crackdown, a cornerstone of his administration, has been widely criticized by international human rights groups for its brutality and disregard for due process.

Official government figures estimate the death toll at over 6,000, but rights organizations claim the number could be as high as 30,000, with many victims coming from poor and marginalized communities.

In 2018, the Philippines withdrew from the Rome Statute — the treaty that founded the ICC — after the court announced its preliminary examination of the drug war.

Under the court’s framework, victims are allowed to present their views and concerns through legal representatives.

Mr. Duterte was arrested on March 11, upon his arrival at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila, acting on a warrant issued by the ICC.

The tough-talking leader was then flown to The Hague, the Netherlands, where the ICC is based. He is still currently detained there. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

DILG to launch infra audit tool

A VIEW of buildings in Makati City. — PHILIPPINE STAR/MICHAEL VARCAS

THE Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said on Wednesday that it is preparing to launch a nationwide infrastructure audit tool designed to assess the structural resilience of buildings in Metro Manila and surrounding regions ahead of a possible major earthquake.

The initiative comes amid growing concerns about the so-called “Big One,” a high-magnitude quake projected along the West Valley Fault that could devastate the capital and nearby provinces.

Marlo L. Iringan, DILG Undersecretary for Local Government, said the new Harmonized Infrastructure Audit tool will introduce a national standard for evaluating the earthquake readiness of public structures.

In a statement, Mr. Iringan said that the tool will help local government units prioritize which buildings require urgent inspection.

The tool will first be deployed in Metro Manila, Region III (Central Luzon), and Region IV-A (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) — areas considered most vulnerable to seismic activity.

To address a lack of technical manpower, the DILG is partnering with academic institutions to involve senior engineering students in conducting structural assessments.

According to data from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, over 3,000 buildings sit directly on the West Valley Fault.

Officials estimate that 12-13% of residential buildings could suffer severe damage in the event of the “Big One.” — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

Transfer of 7 Sulu parliamentary districts mulled

COTABATO CITY — Members of the 80-seat Bangsamoro parliament will work out the reallocation to other areas of the seven parliamentary districts in the province of Sulu, which is no longer part of the autonomous region.

The Supreme Court, in a final ruling early this year, took out Sulu from the core territory of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) based on a petition filed by its governor, Hadji Abdusakur Mahail Tan, Sr.

Two members of the BARMM parliament, Jose Iribani Lorena and Omar Yasser Crisostomo Sema, separately explained on Monday that the transfer of the seven districts in Sulu, which had an appointed lawmaker each, has to be accomplished prior to BARMM’s first-ever parliamentary elections in October 2025.

“There are legal complexities related to that. All issues and concerns about that shall be studied carefully,” Mr. Lorena told reporters present in the press briefing at the BARMM capitol in uptown Cotabato City.

Mr. Sema said the setting up of seven new parliamentary districts in other provinces and cities in BARMM shall be based on the real and well validated necessity for ample representation in the regional lawmaking body of the areas each shall cover.

“That can be done. We in the parliament shall work that out,” Mr. Sema said.

The transfer of the seven parliamentary districts in Sulu to other areas in the BARMM is one of the priority thrusts of Chief Minister Abdulrauf Abdul Macacua, which he mentioned in his message to regional lawmakers during a session on Monday.

Mr. Macacua was appointed chief minister of the Bangsamoro regional government by President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. just last month, along with several other members of the regional parliament.

He replaced the region’s first-ever appointed chief minister, Ahod Balawag Ebrahim. They are both senior members of the central committee of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. — John Felix M. Unson

PHL urged to support Trump tariffs, leverage favored access to US market

US PRESIDENT Donald Trump delivers remarks on tariffs in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, DC, April 2, 2025. — REUTERS

By Aubrey Rose A. Inosante, Reporter

THE GOVERNMENT has been slow in responding to the tariffs imposed by US President Donald J. Trump, an academic said, adding that the Philippines needs to support Washington’s reordering of the global trading system while positioning itself as a hub enjoying favored access to US markets.

University of Asia and the Pacific Institute of Law Dean Jemy Gatdula described the government’s response to the tariff increase as “tentative” and “slow.”

“We should have early on declared support for Trump’s restructuring of the global security and trade system,” Mr. Gatdula told BusinessWorld via Facebook Message. “We should have immediately explored ways to lower our tariffs vis-a-vis the US, positioning us as a low-tariff trade hub (with) greater access to US communication, blockchain, finance, shipbuilding, and energy investment and technology.”

Nine days after Mr. Trump’s so-called “Liberation Day” imposing at least 10% tariffs on all its trading partners, the Philippines has yet to announce a concrete plan to counter the 17% tariff imposed by the US.

Trade Secretary Ma. Cristina A. Roque said on April 7 that her department is “definitely” open to lowering tariffs on US goods, adding that she will meet soon with the economic team to discuss the matter.

Palace Spokesperson Clarissa A. Castro said only that the matter is currently being studied.

“We should maximize our US Global System of Preferences access, as well as reviving the possibility of an FTA, improving our competitiveness and productivity, while increasing tariffs on China and correcting our $23-billion trade deficit with China,” Mr. Gatdula said.

In an e-mail, HSBC economist for the Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) Aris D. Dacanay said the Philippines can promote a China +1 strategy, referring to the approach taken by some manufacturers to relocate some operations to “friendlier” countries.

“While negotiating for even lower tariffs, a trade delegation can be sent to aggressively woo foreign manufacturers and multinationals selling to the US to relocate to the Philippines, to potentially build and reconfigure the country’s manufacturing sector,” Mr. Dacanay said.

The Philippines exported $12.14 billion worth of commodities to the US in 2024. Of the total, 53% or $6.43 billion were electronic products.

He also proposed that the Philippines buy more US agricultural goods.

Minimal Government Thinkers, Inc. President Bienvenido S. Oplas, Jr. said the government should pursue variety of measures, calling the response so far as insufficient.

“I think the Philippines should put on the table the possibility of zero tariffs with US. So far Vietnam and Taiwan have offered this to the US. Not for all products but for priority products like liquefied natural gas, cars, other manufactured goods,” he said.

Vietnam Deputy Prime Ministers Bui Thanh Son on April 7 offered to remove all US import tariffs and requested a postponement of tariffs by at least 45 days.

This was struck rejected by Mr. Trump’s trade adviser Peter Navarro.

Jose Enrique A. Africa, executive director at think tank IBON Foundation, has characterized the government’s inaction as caving in to US bullying while holding on to “misguided free market dogma that lower tariffs are always better.”

“The best response for the government to take has to start from finally realizing that the era of export- and Foreign Direct Investment-led investment started winding down in 2008/2009 and it is urgent to shift to domestic-led and -oriented development,” he said.

Some ASEAN countries have started to formulate a joint approach to negotiating, as the region with some of the highest tariffs.

Cambodia was hit with a 49% tariff, followed by Laos (48%), Vietnam (46%), Myanmar (44%), Thailand (36%), Indonesia (32%), Malaysia (24%), and Brunei (24%).

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto reportedly called Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., and Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong to discuss the region’s tariffs.

On April 4, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet wrote US President Donald J. Trump, committing to a 5% tariff for US goods in 19 product categories.

Thai Deputy Prime Minister Pichai Chunhavajira and Indonesia Chief Economic Minister Airlangga Hartarto are heading to the Washington in hopes of securing a deal for their countries.

Aside from also dispatching a delegation to the Washington for tariff talks, Malaysia has lobbied for a united ASEAN response to the US, according to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) Macroeconomic Policy and Analysis Section Chief Vatcharin Sirimaneetham said the Philippines’ economic growth is tied to the reaction of its exporters to tariff changes, finding new markets and adjusting prices.

“This is what other countries around the world are also doing, so competition is especially high,” he said.

He said the eventual US tariff on the Philippines after negotiations will be closely watched, as well as the exemptions for categories of goods and the impact on regional supply chains in Asia.

In its Economic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific 2025 report, the Philippine economy was projected by ESCAP to expand by 6.1% this year, unchanged from its forecast issued a year earlier. The report had been prepared before the US tariffs were announced.

“It is challenging to comment on the projected economic growth in 2025 now because the underlying information and assumptions are still evolving daily, with a usually high degree of uncertainty,” he said.

For 2026, the Philippines is expected to grow 6.3%, ESCAP said.

Both of these projections were within the Development Budget Coordination Committee’s 6-8% GDP growth until 2028.

Industrialization touted as best counter to US tariffs

Workers are seen at a manufacturing facility in Santa Rosa, Laguna. — PHILIPPINE STAR KRIZ JOHN ROSALES

By John Victor D. Ordoñez, Reporter

THE PHILIPPINES needs to focus on developing industrial capacity and growing the domestic market for products which will face higher US tariffs, an economist said.

“Efforts to lower tariffs would be the conventional short-term response,” IBON Foundation Executive Director Jose Enrique A. Africa said via Viber. “The government should however also look to Filipino industrialization and increasing domestic family purchasing power as well to create domestic demand for the products facing higher tariff barriers in the US.”

The White House last week said the Philippines will be charged a 17% “discounted reciprocal tariff,” in response to Philippine tariffs of 34% on US goods, as estimated by US trade officials.

US President Donald J. Trump announced a 10% baseline tariff applicable to all its trading partners, with the rates set higher for countries that impose high tariffs on US goods.

Within Southeast Asia, the Philippines had the second-lowest tariff next to Singapore, which was granted the 10% baseline tariff. Cambodia faces the steepest tariff at 49%, followed by Laos (48%), Vietnam (46%), Myanmar (45%), Thailand (37%), Indonesia (32%), Malaysia (24%) and Brunei (24%).

Trade Secretary Ma. Cristina A. Roque has said that her department is open to lowering tariffs on US goods.

She said the Philippines is “definitely” looking at reducing tariffs on US products but noted that the economic team will discuss the extent of what the Philippines can offer.

Mr. Africa said most exports of the Philippines to the US would not be affected by the executive order imposing the reciprocal tariff, which exempted semiconductors and auto parts, among other products critical to reindustrialization efforts.

In 2023, electronics accounted for about 56% of Philippine exports to the US, machinery 15%, chemicals 4%, and vehicles 2%.

“Bolstering domestic demand with higher family incomes and more robust and expansive Filipino industry is really the most viable strategy over the medium- to long-term especially with the growing risk of escalating tariff retaliation,” he said.

Design of Camarines Norte port serving wind farms approaching completion

NICHOLAS DOHERTY-UNSPLASH

THE Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) is currently finalizing the design for a port improvement project at a new site in Camarines Norte, which will support the offshore wind industry.

“We are finalizing the engineering designs for a new site in Mercedes, Camarines Norte and will bid out the construction of said port as soon as the program of works is completed,” PPA General Manager Jay Daniel R. Santiago said in a message to BusinessWorld. 

The port regulator had announced last month that it will recommend the cancellation of the auction for the Jose Panganiban, Camarines Norte port improvement project.

“We are canceling the bidding for the Panganiban Port Project as the site was determined to be technically not suitable,” Mr. Santiago said.

In January, the PPA allocated P2.11 billion to improve Jose Panganiban port to make it suitable for servicing the offshore wind industry.

The Department of Energy (DoE) had designated Jose Panganiban as one of three ports scheduled for repurposing for the offshore wind industry. Situated close to 14 offshore wind energy service contracts, Jose Panganiban was being positioned to service wind farms with an estimated capacity of 8,150 megawatts. Two wind projects in the area are in the advanced pre-development phase.

Jose Panganiban had been among the PPA’s 14 flagship projects valued at P16 billion, scheduled for completion by 2028.

To date, the DoE has awarded 92 offshore wind energy service contracts to 38 renewable energy developers with a total potential capacity of 69.06 gigawatts (GW).

According to the Philippine Offshore Wind Roadmap, the Philippines has a potential capacity of about 63 GW from offshore wind resources. Also identified as priorities for redevelopment as offshore wind service bases are Currimao, Ilocos Norte and Sta. Clara, Batangas City.

In 2024, the PPA awarded the P839.18-million Currimao Port expansion project to Davao construction company Khan Kon Chi Construction and Development Corp. — Ashley Erika O. Jose

ASEAN exploring joint response to US tariffs

REUTERS

TRADE Secretary Ma. Cristina A. Roque is set to meet her counterparts in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Thursday to discuss a possible collective response to the US tariffs.

“We have a meeting on Thursday with the ministers from all over ASEAN. That is when we are going to discuss what the stance of everyone is,” she told reporters on the sidelines of the National Food Fair.

“Of course, as ASEAN, we have to (stick) together,” she added, noting that the meeting will be virtual.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Sunday called for a united ASEAN response to the US tariffs.

He said Malaysia, as ASEAN chair, is ready to lead efforts to “ensure ASEAN’s collective voice is heard clearly and firmly on the international stage.”

The US imposed some of the highest tariffs on ASEAN countries on Wednesday. Cambodia is facing a 49% tariff, followed by Laos (48%), Vietnam (46%), Myanmar (44%), Thailand (36%), Indonesia (32%), Malaysia (24%), and Brunei (24%).

The Philippines’ 17% tariff is among the lowest in the region, second only to Singapore, whose goods will be charged a “baseline” rate of 10%.

Since US President Donald J. Trump’s tariff announcement on April 2, countries have started to individually approach the US to seek a compromise.

Vietnam has said that it is open to bringing down tariffs on some categories of US goods to zero.

Ms. Roque said the government has not yet discussed what it is willing to offer as a concession to the US.

“Wala pa kaming napag-usapan tungkol doon. (Nothing has been discussed) We just want to listen, actually, to what (ASEAN ministers) have to tell us because we all work together,” she said, adding that the Philippines’ 17% rate is deemed an “advantage.”

According to Ms. Roque, the Philippine economic team met on Tuesday to discuss its response to the tariffs.

“We discussed the possibilities for strengthening trade just in case it remains at 17%,” she said.

“We accepted the tariff as 17%, and then we’ll see how it goes from there. I really need to talk to my (US) counterpart to clarify things,” she added.

She said the Philippines does not intend to impose retaliatory tariffs on the US.

On Monday, Ms. Roque said that the DTI is open to lowering tariffs on US goods.

On Tuesday, PCCI Chairman George T. Barcelon said that the government should consider lowering tariffs as have other countries.

“That is something that the government should consider in consultation with the private sector,” he said.

“President Trump knows that each country will individually approach the US, and they will come to some sort of a compromise … I think that is the best way,” he added.

However, he said that the Philippines should study how it can take advantage of its relatively low tariff.

“With a lower rate, that automatically gives us the comparative advantage. But we have to do our homework and see what sectors can benefit from this,” he said.

“If we think that a certain sector will be more competitive and get more buyers, we have to build up capacity there,” he added.

Meanwhile, Ms. Roque said that the Philippines still hopes to secure a bilateral free trade agreement with the US.

“We are still optimistic, and another thing we are looking at is to push for FTAs not just with the US but with a lot of countries because there are really a lot of benefits that we can generate from FTAs,” she said.

She said that the other markets the DTI is looking at include South America, the Middle East, and elsewhere in Asia. — Justine Irish D. Tabile

Telcos say ID database will help vet applicants seeking to register SIMs

A VENDOR shows different SIM cards for sale at a stall in Quiapo, Manila, Oct. 8, 2022. — PHILIPPINE STAR /KRIZ JOHN ROSALES

THE Philippine Chamber of Telecommunications Operators (PCTO) said access to a central database of government identification cards can help ease the difficulties in registering subscriber identity module (SIM) cards.

“There’s the issue again on the law itself, which states that any ID can be presented, but the question is how do we vet the IDs that will be submitted,” PCTO Vice-President and Smart Communications, Inc. Head of Regulatory Affairs Roy D. Ibay told reporters on Monday. 

Mr. Ibay noted the many challenges in the SIM registration process, particularly the lack of a central database for IDs, which would enable telecommunication companies to verify the authenticity of government documents.

“That has always been the clamor from telcos that the government should come up with a way for telcos to verify any government ID,” Mr. Ibay said.

“Not all government IDs have a database. So that’s another issue that we are trying to address,” he added. 

In March, telecommunications companies expressed their opposition to a proposal from the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to require SIM card registrants to make a personal appearance.

Republic Act No. 11934 or the SIM Registration Act of 2022, requires mobile phone users to register SIMs under their names or risk deactivation.

“There’s a way that we can probably interlink the telcos’ systems to be able to vet the national level up to the barangay level,” Mr. Ibay said.

The NTC’s proposal is part of a comprehensive review of the current registration process amid rising concerns over fake identities and individuals selling their identities for potential illegal use.

“Probably there can be face-to-face (registration) if there is a technical problem with registering online and also if the ID used has an issue,” he said. — Ashley Erika O. Jose

Induction furnaces blamed for low-quality rebar

Workers were seen at a construction site in Manila. — PHILIPPINE STAR/EDD GUMBAN

THE GOVERNMENT needs to ban induction furnaces, which are incapable of consistently producing quality steel, an industry official said.

Roberto M. Cola, a member of the Department of Science and Technology’s Metals Industry Research and Development Center Governing Council, said the output of induction furnaces in the Philippines has increased since 2017.

“The main drawback of induction furnace facilities is that there is no process of removing the harmful elements in the liquid steel, thus resulting in inconsistent quality of products produced,” according to Mr. Cola, who is also a former president of the Philippine Iron and Steel Institute (PISI).

Speaking at the Kapihan sa Manila Bay on Wednesday, he said such inconsistencies in steel quality represent “a safety hazard since these steel products are used in the construction of buildings and infrastructure.” 

Induction furnaces are also considered harmful to the workers and surrounding communities, as such plants generally do not have dust and emissions collecting equipment.

“Harmful gases and dust generated during scrap melting are just allowed to be emitted directly to the environment,” he said.

He said other countries have banned the technology, including China and Japan, making Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries the preferred destination for obsolete and unwanted induction furnaces.

Induction furnace steelmaking capacity in the Philippines has increased to around 3 million metric tons (MT) today from less than 150,000 MT in 2017.

“These facilities are the main source of substandard reinforcing steel bars and angle bars in the market,” he said.

“They should be banned. They are banned in other countries, so we should do it because the Philippines is more at risk,” he added, noting the Philippines’ exposure to natural calamities.

PISI has reported that rebar samples taken in the first two months failed to meet industry standards for mass variation and elongation.

Meanwhile, angle bars sampled in Cavite and Cebu on Feb. 28 and March 18 also failed to meet industry standards.

PISI sent the summary of the random market test purchases of rebar and angle bars to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on April 7.

“The continued high instances of non-conformity of samples purchased lead us to conclude that there are larger quantities of substandard products being sold in the market today,” PISI President Ronald C. Magsajo said in a letter to the DTI.

“We must learn from the recent tragedy that has hit our ASEAN neighbors and take the necessary steps to guarantee no such disaster occurs in our country,” he added, referring to the building collapses in Myanmar and Thailand following the Myanmar earthquake.

The group asked the DTI Fair Trade Group to impose the maximum penalties allowed by law on violators.

“Our call is for us to be stricter in our regulation and let us learn from our neighbors,” Mr. Magsajo said.

Bureau of Philippine Standards Senior Trade-Industry Development Specialist John Steven Magboo said no policy currently prohibits any manufacturing process.

“In the standards, there is nothing that specifies what manufacturing process should be adopted when manufacturing steel bars,” he said.

“So, during the audit, we do not discriminate whether they are using an induction furnace or electric arc furnace,” he added.

However, he said that the DTI is open to discussing the issue and asked for the private sector and other government agencies to help in collecting data.

“I think if there is more data available and if we can really prove that the use of an induction furnace doesn’t really produce consistent products that conform with the Philippine National Standards, I think that is the time to prohibit the use of such a process,” he added. — Justine Irish D. Tabile

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