2 months ago
16
Upgrade to High-Speed Internet for only ₱1499/month!
Enjoy up to 100 Mbps fiber broadband, perfect for browsing, streaming, and gaming.
Visit Suniway.ph to learn
Philippine Iron and Steel Institute (PISI) is urging the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to address the prevalence of substandard steel products in hardware stores across the country, citing the potential threat of earthquakes such as the “Big One” that could hit Metro Manila.
In an April 7 letter addressed to DTI Assistant Secretary Agaton Uvero, PISI President Ronald Magsajo informed the agency about the presence of “failed bars” in the country, based on the results of an analysis conducted by a third-party testing laboratory.
A total of 28 steel products—including steel rebars and angle bars—were analyzed and found to have low mass variation (MV) and low elongation (E), indicating that they are underweight and less ductile than the standard specifications.
These substandard products were purchased at 20 hardware stores in Luzon and Visayas.
“The continued high instances of non-conformity of samples purchased leads us to conclude that there are larger quantities of substandard products being sold in the market today,” PISI said.
The industry group said the country must learn from the magnitude 7.7 earthquake that hit Myanmar and Thailand last month.
In Bangkok, a 30-storey government building under construction collapsed due to the earthquake. According to local media, 44 people have been confirmed dead, while 50 others remain missing due to the collapse.
Thai authorities found that substandard steel bars were being used in the building.
PISI stressed that the government must take the necessary steps to “guarantee no such disaster occurs in our country.”
The industry group said the results of its market monitoring can aid the DTI’s Fair Trade Group, headed by Uvero, in ensuring that only certified products are available to the public.
“We humbly request that the DTI Fair Trade Group continue its market enforcement activities and, as necessary, subject violators to the maximum penalties allowed by law against the offending parties,” it said.
The “Big One”—a magnitude 7.2 earthquake that could strike Metro Manila and nearby provinces—could lead to a death toll of more than 33,000 and cause 168,000 buildings to collapse, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).
With this serious threat, the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) warned that using substandard steel can compromise the strength of buildings, houses, and other structures such as bridges.
