Cement traders have significantly reduced or completely halted imports due to the higher cost of importation resulting from the imposition of anti-dumping and safeguard duties, higher bunker fuel and logistics cost, among other factors.
Ferdinand Co, CEO of Lemery Cement, which operates a cement silo in Lemery, Batangas, said traders import cement from Vietnam, China, and Indonesia.
Cement importation from these countries are subject to safeguard duties of PHP14 per 40-kilogram bag, or PHP349 per metric ton, for Ordinary Portland Cement (classified under AHTN Code 2523.29.90) and Blended Cement (classified under AHTN Code 2523.90.00).
In addition to the safeguard duty, imports from Vietnam have already been also subject to specific anti-dumping duties ranging from USD1.61 to USD16.42 per metric ton, depending on the exporter.
Co estimated additional PHP14 per bag increase in prices of imported cement.
According to Co, importers serving certain areas have slowed down or stopped importation because of higher import costs, while other areas are experiencing higher prices due to supply shortages.
“There is enough supply of locally produced blended cement but some areas lack supply of high quality imported cement that local cement cannot supply due to logistics or not as high quality as some imported cement,” said Co.
Aside from the safeguard and anti-dumping duties, Co cited other factors contributing to higher cement costs, including the depreciation of the peso, higher international freight costs due to increased bunker fuel prices, rising production costs in source countries, and higher trucking costs in the Philippines.
Recently, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) issued Department Administrative Order No. 26-03, expanding the coverage of safeguard duties to include China and Indonesia. The order imposes a safeguard duty of PHP14 per 40-kilogram bag, or PHP349 per metric ton of cement from China and Indonesia, expanding the list of countries imposed with safeguard measures established under DAO No. 25-15.
In a statement, Trade and Industry Secretary Cristina A. Roque said the inclusion of China and Indonesia is a result of the DTI review on cement imports from 2025 through the first quarter of 2026, which revealed significant shifts in the market.
The DTI said that while Vietnam remained the Philippines’ top cement supplier—accounting for 79 percent of imports in 2025 and 63 percent from January to March 2026—supplies from other countries increased substantially. Imports from China accounted for 11 percent of total cement imports in 2025 and surged to 23 percent in early 2026.
Meanwhile, shipments from Indonesia rose from 6 percent to 8 percent during the same period. Because imports from both China and Indonesia exceeded the 3 percent threshold, they no longer qualify for exemptions from the imposition of safeguard measures.
Secretary Roque emphasized that the DTI remains committed to protecting the local market within legal boundaries while ensuring stable prices and a reliable supply for consumers.
She assured the public that the government is actively monitoring cement prices through its regular market surveillance and price-tracking systems.
Moving forward, the DTI will review the safeguard duties imposed on cement to ensure they remain only at levels necessary to protect the domestic industry without causing unfair price increases.
