New guidelines for cement labeling

After receiving complaints from the country’s major cement group, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) released its latest memorandum circular (MC) containing new rules and regulations regarding labeling of imported cement products.

To recall, the Cement Manufacturers Association of the Philippines (CeMAP) called the attention of the DTI to scrutinize standard compliance of Philcement Corporation, and for alleged non-compliance of the latter’s Union V Super Strength 40 cement brand, to Philippine National Standards (PNS) and Department Administrative Order (DAO) 17-06, or the new rules covering cement in the country.

With this, the DTI-Bureau of Philippine Standards (BPS) released its latest ruling on the Supplemental Guidelines for the Implementation of DAO 17-06, Series of 2017, or “The New Rules and Regulations Concerning the Mandatory Certification of Portland Cement and Blended Hydraulic Cement with Pozzolan.”

The DTI has released separate licenses for the manufacturing and bagging facilities on a per plant site/location basis, thus consistent with DAO 17-06.

The BPS explained that there has been some confusion on the required product markings as the earlier DAO did not include the marking requirements for bagging facilities to indicate the country of manufacture, thus, necessitating a new circular clarifying this requirement for concerned manufacturers and/or importers.

The DTI, through its BPS, will be conducting verification and monitoring of cement bagging facilities in the country, upon issuance of the supplemental guidelines, to ensure immediate compliance on the prescribed product markings.

“Under this MC, all locally manufactured and imported cement products shipped in bulk and bagged in a PS Licensed bagging facility shall be permanently marked with the name and address of the manufacturer, the country of manufacture, and the words “Bagged by:,” followed by the name and address of the bagging facility, among others,” the circular read.

The MC also mandates manufacturers and operators of bagging facilities “to immediately cease all printing operations of previously approved cement bag designs indicating “Product of the Philippines” even if the cement products are imported in bulk.”

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Article and Photo originally posted by The Daily Tribune last October 29, 2020 3:00am and written by Raffy Ayeng.