THE deaths and destruction caused by the series of earthquakes that hit Mindanao in October have given lawmakers a sense of urgency in seeking an investigation of the alleged smuggling and proliferation of substandard steel products in the Philippines.
At least four committee heads on Sunday backed House Resolution 379 filed by Agusan del Norte Rep. Lawrence Lemuel H. Fortun, calling on the House Committee on Trade and Industry (DTI) to immediately investigate the matter, given the possibility that the damage to certain structures might be not simply a result of the strong earthquakes but also of the substandard steel used for them.
House Resolution 379 seeks to probe the alleged smuggling and proliferation of substandard steel products in the Philippines.
The committee heads who backed Fortum’s call are: Reps. Isidro Ungab, Committee on Appropriations; Robert Ace Barbers, Dangerous Drugs; Eric Go Yap, Games and Amusement.
The vice chairman of the Metro Manila Development Committee, Rep. Precious Hipolito Castelo, also supported the resolution. According to Fortun, there are fears among consumer groups, specifically residents and buyers of high-rise condominiums nationwide, over reports of continued selling of substandard steel rebars, that may render thousands of high rises unsafe in the event of a strong earthquake.
“This seeming grand deception may have led to the rise in the past 10 to 12 years of structurally-compromised infrastructures that may not be able to withstand high-intensity quakes, thus endangering the lives of millions of Filipinos,” Fortun said.
In his resolution, Fortun also urged the House to investigate the alleged collusion between large steelmakers and officials of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) in the smuggling of substandard steel products.
Ungab said contractors who have been using the alleged smuggled below-par materials, including undersized steel bars, should also face justice.
“Those involved in the alleged collusion should be held accountable and dealt with accordingly, after due investigation,” said Ungab.
Barbers said the investigation on the proliferation of supposed substandard steel products should be prioritized to ensure public safety.
Castelo said someone should be responsible for the proliferation of substandard steel that may have been a factor in the collapse of, or damage to buildings in Mindanao.
With the series of strong earthquakes in Mindanao, Yap said the investigation should be started immediately.
Meanwhile, Fortun said the resolution was also filed following the warning by experts against the poor quality-testing procedure on locally produced steel rebars, which only undergo static tension and bend tests because some steelmakers refuse to subject them to the international standard of cyclic loading tests.
Earlier, Assistant Customs Commissioner Philip Vincent Maronilla disclosed that four to five big steel companies were being audited by the bureau. The resolution seeks to “protect consumers from trade malpractices, and from substandard or hazardous products.”