The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has seized ₱1.6 million worth of uncertified deformed steel bars from a wholesale hardware store in San Leonardo, Nueva Ecija, intensifying its nationwide crackdown on substandard construction materials and reinforcing President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to ensure that only safe and compliant building products reach Filipino consumers.
A total of 12,525 steel bars were immediately sealed for lacking the mandatory Bureau of Philippine Standards (BPS) certification marks—specifically the Philippine Standard (PS) Quality and/or Safety Mark or Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) stickers—clear violations of government regulations designed to safeguard public safety. Led by the Fair Trade Enforcement Bureau (FTEB), the operation resulted in the issuance of a Notice of Violation, compelling the firm to explain within 48 hours.
“There is a reason why deformed steel bars are under mandatory certification: to ensure that our homes are safe, strong, and of quality. We cannot allow violative and non-compliant products to remain in the market, threatening the safety of Filipino households and benefitting businesses who fail or refuse to secure certification,” FTEB stressed.
The enforcement action, conducted in coordination with DTI Region 3 under the agency’s E-Kalasag Project, underscores the government’s aggressive market monitoring drive.
In 2025 alone, the DTI confiscated 98,947 pieces of uncertified steel bars valued at ₱24 million nationwide, working closely with field offices, steel manufacturers, and industry partners in a whole-of-government push to protect consumers, uphold fair trade laws, and fortify the structural integrity of Filipino homes across the country.#
