The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has initiated a preliminary investigation on the application for safeguard measures on imported ceremic tiles from various countries.
The preliminary investigation stemmed from the submission of a properly documented application from the Ceramic Manufacturers’ Association, Inc., which alleged that the increased imports have contributed significantly to the serious injury suffered by the local industry.
The DTI acting under Section 6 of RA 8800 otherwise known as the Safeguard Measures Act, has made an evaluation on the instant application and found the existence of a prima facie case that will justify the initiation of a preliminary safeguard measures investigation on the importation of Ceramic Tiles classified under Harmonized System (HS) Codes 2017/2022, subheadings 6907.22 and 6907.23, from various countries.
The period of investigation (POI) is from 2020 up to the first quarter of 2025. Further, Section 5 of RA 8800 directs the Secretary of Trade and Industry to consider public interest in the application of the safeguard measures.
Rule 5.2 of the IRR of RA 8800 specifically provides that: “the Secretary when establishing that the application of a safeguard measure will be in the public interest shall take into consideration the following factors among others: (i) whether the imposition of the provisional measure will result in political and economic crisis; and (ii) the extent to which such imposition will cause a shortage of a product under consideration in the domestic market.”
