Cement makers pushing for safeguard duty on imports

Local manufacturers are urging the government to impose a definitive safeguard duty on cement imports to allow the industry to compete with foreign suppliers and retain their workforce.

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“We need this safeguard to ensure the industry remains viable and to protect local jobs,” Cement Manufacturers Association of the Philippines Inc. (CeMAP) executive director Rey Baja said ina statement.

CeMAP said cement manufacturers in the Philippines are not receiving subsidies, unlike some Vietnamese cement suppliers that enjoy support from their government allowing them to sell at lower prices.

“It is of national interest to promote and protect the local cement industry against unfair competition from other countries,” Baja said.