The Tariff Commission ordered the lifting of anti-dumping tariffs imposed on imported cement from Vietnam as it rejected a petition by local cement manufacturers for an extension of the safeguard measures.
The Cement Manufacturers’ Association of the Philippines said it was saddened by the recommendation of the agency to discontinue the implementation of the safeguard measure upon its expiry on Oct. 22, 2022.
“The requested Safeguard Measure Extension was necessary for adjustment plans to be completed in order for the local industry to be ready for global competition. The threat of injury to the local cement manufacturing industry remains imminent from neighboring exporting countries, who continue to this day to flood the domestic market with imported cement products even with the safeguard measure enforced,” the group said.
It said local cement manufacturers had diligently made investments necessary to adjust. “Most have been completed while others are earmarked for implementation, in-process, or are nearing completion. Moreover, additional new measures have been identified and are in the pipeline,” it said.
“Terminating the safeguard measure prematurely jeopardizes these efforts and undermines the painstaking work of the local cement industry to stay operational during the very difficult months of the still ongoing pandemic, wherein it continued implementing adjustment plan projects, employing jobs and allying with government and economic stakeholders to jumpstart national recovery,” CeMAP said.