UFCC urges govt to reject P400/ton safeguard duty on imported cement

The United Filipino Consumers and Commuters (UFCC) is urging the government to reject the proposed safeguard duty on imported cement.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) imposed emergency tariffs on imported cement following preliminary findings from a safety measures investigation.

The tariffs amount to P400 per metric ton or P16 per 40-kilogram bag of ordinary portland and blended cement.

UFCC president RJ Javellana warned that the additional cost would likely be passed on to end-users, resulting in higher cement prices and contributing to inflation.

Javellana stated that a P16 increase per bag will ultimately burden ordinary consumers, triggering a domino effect across other construction materials.

The consumer rights group also cautioned that big businesses, able to manipulate cement prices, could be the main beneficiaries of the tariff.

Javellana urged the government to balance the interests of both consumers and producers to prevent inflation and curb market control by cement cartels.