On October 31, 2024, the Department of Trade and Industry of the Philippines (DTI) announced the initiation of a safeguard investigation regarding imported cement products entering the Philippines.
The products under investigation are cement with HS codes: 2523.2990 and 2523.9000. The investigation period for assessing import volume increase and damage covers 2019 to 2024.
The investigating authority found that, between 2019 and 2023, the volume of imported cement increased consistently in absolute terms, specifically: total cement imports rose by 10% in 2020, 17% in 2021, and 5% in 2023.
In relative terms, the import market share also grew within the Period of Investigation (POI), from 30% in 2019 to 47% in 2023 and 51% in 2024 (from January to June).
According to DTI, the local manufacturing industry has suffered significant harm due to rising imports, such as reduced market share, revenue, profit, and price cuts. DTI claims that the increase in imports is the primary cause of the damage to the domestic industry. Therefore, an investigation is necessary to assess the situation under Section 6 of the Philippines Safeguard Measures Act.
Under the regulations, relevant parties—including exporters, importers, and organizations within and outside the Philippines—have the right to express their opinions and comments on the case (including opinions on the impact of safeguard measures on public interest).
Additionally, the DTI announced that it would request Vietnamese exporters involved in the case to respond to the investigation questionnaire.
To protect their legitimate interests, related manufacturers and exporters should familiarize themselves with the procedure and actively contact Vietnamese law firms specializing in anti-dumping and trade remedy for timely assistance.
Download the initiation notice (public version) here.
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