As the government continues to focus on the acceleration of infrastructure projects through its BUILD! BUILD! BUILD! Program, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) ensures the public that only safe and reliable products particularly on building and construction materials are being sold in the market.

“The Department of Trade and Industry through its Bureau of Philippine Standards (DTI-BPS) implements mandatory certification schemes for critical products and systems prior to its distribution and sale. Particular on mechanical/building and construction materials, the DTI-BPS regulates BI/GI steel pipes, blended hydraulic cement with pozzolan, Portland cement, pipes (PB, PE,uPVC),uPVC rigid electrical conduit, PVC-U pipes for drain wastes and vent, sanitary wares, steel wires, finishing wire nails, deformed steel bars, equal-leg angle steel bars and rerolled steel bars,” DTI-Undersecretary Atty. Ruth B. Castelo stressed.

The DTI-BPS subjects the said regulated products to independent tests and evaluation based on the requirements of the Philippine National Standard (PNS) under its certification schemes. For these schemes, manufacturers and importers are required to secure a Philippine Standard (PS) mark or an Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) certificate before their products are allowed to be sold in the local market.

DTI-BPS Director-in-Charge Engr. James Empeño emphasized, “Among the 73 products and systems that we monitor are the steel products namely deformed steel bars, equal-leg angle steel bars, rerolled steel bars which are integral components in the administration’s infrastructure development. The DTI-BPS, through Department Administrative Orders (DAOs), declared the Philippine National Standard (PNS) on steel products for mandatory implementation under the BPS Product Certification Scheme.”

Through the DAO 05:2002 or the Mandatory Philippine National Standard, the BPS has declared the PNS 49:2002 Steel bars for concrete reinforcement – Specification and, PNS 211:2002 Rerolled steel bars for concrete reinforcement – Specification as PNS for mandatory certification.

The PNS 49:2002 specifies the requirements for deformed steel bars for concrete reinforcement for steel bars manufactured from prime billets or ingots, supplied as rolled or hot rolled, with subsequent quenching and self-tempering. Steel bars are structural steel that is used as concrete reinforcement in residential, commercial and industrial buildings and structures.

On the other hand, PNS 211:2002 2002 Rerolled steel bars for concrete reinforcement – Specification sets out requirements for rerolled steel bars for concrete reinforcement and applies to steel bars manufactured by rerolling Grade 230 and 275 billets, ship plates from classified vessels, structural grade steels, reject steel plates and misrolled steels, and, wire rods. A rerolled steel bar is a steel that is used as concrete reinforcement.

Also included in the list of standards for mandatory implementation is PNS 657:2008 that covers hot-rolled-leg – equal leg angle steel bars and excludes those that are heat treated as specified in DAO 07: 2008 or the Mandatory Philippine National Standards for Equal Leg Angle Bars. An equal leg angle steel bar is a steel structural bar that has an L-shaped cross section with two legs of equal length and is used as trusses, sections, steel frame in residential, commercial and industrial buildings and structures.

“Consumer safety must always be a priority, which provides the highest quality of materials that we use to build and repair our homes, offices, and other government and private sector projects,” Undersecretary Atty. Castelo underscores.

Under the implementing guidelines for the mandatory certification of equal leg angle bars, rerolled steel bars, and deformed steel bars, manufacturers and importers are required to comply with the marking requirements of relevant Philippine National Standards (PNS) in addition to the PS Certification Mark or ICC Mark with ICC number. These required labels are placed on tag securely attached to each bundle of steel bars.

The same implementing guidelines also specify the submission of logos as a pre-requisite for the PS application for manufacturers while importers are required to submit the logo of the steel bars that they import on a per shipment basis prior to the actual shipment, before they can apply for an ICC certificate.

“The BPS-DTI has been developing collaterals and other materials to further the understanding and relevance of these PNS to our stakeholders particularly our consumers. We have brochures on PNS 49:2002, PNS 211:2002, and, PNS 657:2008 that they can use as reference particularly on these steel products,” Engr. Empeño added.

Copies of the said Philippine National Standards are available for a minimal fee at the BPS Standards Data Center, 3F Trade and Industry Building, 361. Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati City; at 751.4736; or through bps@dti.gov.ph. For more information on the DTI-BPS production certification scheme and the list of building and construction materials with the PS or ICC marks, call BPS at (02) 751.4720/ 4708.

Date of release: 29 June 2018.