Imports pose no major threat, cement importers say

Cement importers on Wednesday argued that the Philippine cement industry remains strong and continues to dominate the market despite the presence of imports, countering claims of substantial injury during a Tariff Commission (TC) hearing.

Citing industry data from 2019 to 2024, importers noted that local manufacturers supplied about 81 percent of the country’s total cement demand, a figure the TC has classified as a "dominant market position" for Type 1, Type 1P, and Type 1T cement products.

According to their estimates, both Cement Manufacturers’ Association of the Philippines (CeMAP) members and non-members have maintained at least an 80 percent market share. Notably, non-CeMAP producers expanded their market presence from 27 percent in 2019 to 32 percent in 2024.

The summary of the hearing proceedings warned against oversimplifying the issue as a binary struggle between imports and domestic production, citing variability in the financial performance of local firms. Several companies reportedly displayed strong competitiveness, and financial challenges were linked more to internal cost structures and strategic decisions than import pressures.

Importers also emphasized that the local industry is among the most regulated and protected in the country. They highlighted layers of support such as mandatory testing and audits, tax incentives, and policies under the Tatak Pinoy Act. Tariff protections have included safeguard duties from 2001 to 2004 and again from 2019 to 2022, anti-dumping duties in 2023, and a current provisional safeguard duty of P400 per metric ton.