Mindanao, Philippines – Recent test-buy operations conducted by the Philippine Iron and Steel Institute (PISI) revealed that substandard reinforcement bars (rebars) continue to flood the Mindanao market, posing a serious risk to public safety. The random test buys, carried out from September 9 to 13 in various provinces, highlighted widespread violations of quality standards.
In a news release over the weekend, PISI reported that it purchased rebars from hardware stores in Davao del Sur, Davao del Norte, Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Norte, Zamboanga del Norte, Samal Island, Cotabato City, Pagadian City, and Iligan City. These rebars failed to meet the minimum weight requirements and were found to be prone to brittleness, making them potentially dangerous for construction use.
Three steel manufacturers were identified as failing to meet the minimum weight requirement, and six hardware stores were found selling substandard rebars. According to PISI, the inferior quality rebars discovered in the test buys could be used to build more than 10,000 houses per month, potentially putting up to 30,000 people at risk.
“This is a significant public safety concern,” PISI stated, urging immediate action from authorities and the industry to address the ongoing problem.
The test buys in Mindanao followed similar operations conducted in Northern Luzon just a few weeks earlier, where the same quality issues were discovered. PISI, in collaboration with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), has been actively conducting these operations to protect consumers and ensure compliance with industry standards.
In light of these findings, PISI called for a surveillance audit of the companies involved and encouraged the DTI to intensify monitoring efforts. Earlier this year, the DTI seized almost Php 30 million worth of substandard steel products in Davao City and Laguna, underlining the growing problem of unsafe steel products in the market.
The steel industry group remains committed to curbing the sale of inferior rebars and ensuring that the public is protected from the risks associated with low-quality building materials.