The public and the cement industry are given 60-day period or until November 4 this year to submit their comments on the draft Memorandum Circular, which is seeking to enhance existing cement manufacturing standards to ensure the integrity of the country’s infrastructure projects in light of the country’s vulnerability to natural calamities.
The Bureau of Product Standards (BPS) of the Department of Trade and Industry conducted public consultations on the draft Memorandum Circular (MC) amending Department Administrative Order 17-06:2017 to include revisions on alkali content, processing addition and testing methods, and require post-shipment inspection and full product testing of cement.
DTI-BPS noted a total of 179 active cement manufacturer licensees as of September 2025. This includes 95 for Portland cement, 81 for blended hydraulic cement, and 3 for masonry cement, all complying with the Philippine National Standards.
As the national standards body, the DTI-BPS is mandated to develop, promulgate, and implement standards for all products in the Philippines. The bureau continues to update and enhance its regulations to improve standardization, uphold product quality, and safeguard consumer welfare.
In line with its commitment to uphold safe and durable infrastructure materials, officials from the Department of Trade and Industry led by Secretary Cristina A. Roque visited Republic Cement, the country’s leading cement manufacturer in Teresa, Rizal.
The visit to Republic Cement’s factory serves as an industry benchmark as the DTI moves to update the national regulatory framework for cement to ensure the integrity of the country’s infrastructure.
Secretary Roque emphasized the critical need to upgrade quality standards, given the country’s vulnerability to natural calamities.
“Given our country’s vulnerability to natural disasters, we must ensure that all construction materials, including cement, meet the highest quality and safety standards. This ensures the safety of the Filipinos, starting from the foundational materials of our homes and buildings,” Secretary Roque said.
For its part, Republic Cement expressed support for the DTI’s ongoing efforts to transition to updated cement standards covered by Department Administrative Order (DAO) 17-06:2017, or ‘The New Rules and Regulations Concerning the Mandatory Certification of Portland Cement and Blended Hydraulic Cement with Pozzolan.’
