COUNTRY'S NEWS

Philippine Department of Trade and Industry Issues Preliminary Decision in Safeguard Investigation on Imported Cement

Posted on by content02.vinahugo
08
Oct

The Philippine Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has issued a preliminary determination in the safeguard investigation concerning cement products imported into the Philippines.

1. Key Details of the Case

  • Product under investigation: Cement classified under HS codes 2523.29.90 and 2523.90.00.

  • Investigation period: 2019 to June 2024.

  • Investigation process:
    Following the initiation notice issued on October 31, 2024, DTI distributed questionnaires to relevant parties, including Vietnamese exporters. Among the foreign exporters identified, five Vietnamese companies were named and submitted their responses to DTI.

2. Preliminary Findings

According to DTI’s preliminary assessment:

  • During the period from 2019 to 2024, imports of the investigated cement products increased both absolutely and relatively compared to domestic production.

  • There exists a causal link between the increase in imports and the serious injury suffered by the domestic cement industry.

  • Vietnam’s share of total cement imports into the Philippines was the highest, reaching 94.4% in 2024, up from 79.4% in 2019.

3. Temporary Safeguard Measure

Pursuant to Section 8 of Republic Act (RA) 8800, which allows immediate action when delays could cause irreparable injury, DTI has decided to impose a provisional safeguard measure pending the final investigation by the Philippine Tariff Commission.

The measure will take the form of a cash deposit as follows:

  • 400 Philippine pesos per metric ton (approximately 178,500 VND/MT), or

  • 16 Philippine pesos per 40 kg cement bag (approximately 7,140 VND/bag).

This temporary measure will remain effective for 200 days from the date the Philippine Bureau of Customs issues the collection order.

Vietnam is not exempt from the list of developing countries, as its export volume is considered significant.

4. Next Steps

Following this preliminary decision, the case will be referred to the Philippine Tariff Commission for a formal investigation, which will determine whether a definitive safeguard measure should be imposed.

The Preliminary Report is available in the attached file.

5. Contact Information

Foreign Trade Remedies Division
Trade Remedies Authority of Vietnam (TRAV)
Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT)
📍 Address: 4th Floor, 54 Hai Bà Trưng, Hoàn Kiếm District, Hà Nội, Vietnam
📞 Contact Officer: Ms. Nguyễn Thúy