Pursuant to the World Trade Organization (WTO) notice dated November 4, 2024, on October 31, 2024, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) of the Philippines announced the initiation of a safeguard investigation on cement products imported into the Philippines pursuant to Section 6 of the Philippine Safeguards Act.

I. Relevant information:

1. Initiation date: October 31, 2024

2. Goods under investigation: Cement products have HS codes: 2523.2990 and 2523.9000.

3. Period of investigation: 2019 - June 2024

4. Preliminary conclusion: 

The Department, acting under Section 7 of RA 8800, the “Safeguard Measures Act”, and on the basis of evidence and submissions of interested parties, established after preliminary investigation the existence of a causal link between the increased imports of the products under consideration and serious injury to the domestic industry. In addition, DTI’s data show that Vietnam’s import share into the Philippines accounted for the highest proportion, reaching 94.4% in 2024 (up from 79.4% in 2019).

Further, pursuant to Section 8 of RA 8800 which provides that, “in critical circumstances where a delay would cause damage which would be difficult to repair, and pursuant to a preliminary determination that increased imports are the substantial cause of serious injury to the domestic industry”, a provisional safeguard measure in the form of a cash bond amounting to ₱400/MT or ₱16.00/40kg bag classified under AHTN Code Nos. 2523.29.90 and 2523.90.00, shall be imposed while the case is under formal investigation by the Tariff Commission. The provisional measure shall be imposed for a period of Two Hundred (200) days from the date of issuance by the Bureau of Customs of the relevant Customs Memorandum Order/Customs Memorandum Circular. Vietnam is not included in the list of developing countries exempted from the measure due to its significant volume of exports to the Philippines.

5. Final conclusion:

The Permanent Mission of the Philippines to the WTO hereby notifies the Committee on Safeguards that a decision to apply a definitive safeguard measure on the importation of Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) and Blended Cement from various countries has been made.

- Tariff Increase - Specific: The Order provides for the imposition of definitive general safeguard measure in the amount of PHP14.00/40kg bag or PHP349.00/MT for the first year of the implementation period. The amount of the measure shall be subject to regular review to give the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) the opportunity to modify the amount of the duty, if necessary.

- Proposed date of introduction of the measure: The Order shall take effect upon the issuance of the relevant Customs Memorandum Order (CMO) or Customs Memorandum Circular (CMC) by the Bureau of Customs. The Order signed by the Secretary of DTI was published in two (2) newspapers of general circulation on 21 October 2025.

-  Expected duration of the measure: The safeguard measure shall be imposed for a period of three (3) years from 2025 to 2028.

- Expected timetable for progressive liberalization of the measure: The amount or rate of the measure shall be subject to regular review to give DTI the opportunity to modify the amount of the duty, if necessary.

II. Case calendar: 

The case documents are attached below: