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The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) through the Bureau of Philippine Standards (BPS) issued Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 21-13, series of 2021 providing amendatory and supplemental guidelines for the implementation of Department Administrative Order (DAO) 20-10, series of 2020 or the technical regulation for hot-dip metallic-coated and pre-painted galvanized steel coils and sheets for roofing and general applications. The said MC took effect on 18 April 2021 immediately after its publication in The Philippine Star and Daily Tribune on the same date.

DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez said that MC 21-13 was issued to address concerns raised on some provisions and implementation of DAO 20-10 during the several meetings with various stakeholders and members of the BPS Technical Committee 64. “This is the result of the Department’s review of the Technical Regulation [DAO 20-10] balancing the interest of the stakeholders without compromising the safety of the consumers,” Secretary Lopez added.

DTI clarified in MC 21-13 the scope of DAO 20-10 to include all steel coils and sheets intended for roofing and general applications with Total Coated Thickness (TCT) up to 0.89 mm. TCT refers to the sum of the base metal and its corresponding metallic coating such as zinc, 5% Al-Zn, and 55% Al-Zn. All steel coils and sheets with TCT of 0.2 mm to 0.8 mm intended for general applications and to be distributed in the local market in the form of plain or corrugated sheets or other similar forms are also covered by DAO 20-10. These covered steel coils and sheets intended for roofing and general applications shall have a minimum metallic coating thickness of 14 microns.

Meanwhile, the manufacturing or importation of steel coils and sheets with TCT of less than 0.2 mm is prohibited, except if they are intended for distribution, in a form other than plain and corrugated sheets, to local manufacturers, producers, or fabricators of automotive, furniture, electrical and electronics, and food packaging, among others.

DTI emphasized in MC 21-13 that a minimum TCT of 0.4 mm (negative tolerance shall not apply) is required for all steel coils and sheets intended for roofing materials. Full-hard grade is required for steel coils and sheets with TCT of 0.2 mm and 0.3 mm intended for general applications and to be distributed in the local market in the form of plain or corrugated sheets or other similar forms. For the markings, all steel coils and sheets with a minimum TCT of 0.4 mm intended for roofing shall be labelled as “For Roofing Use” while those with TCT of 0.2 mm and 0.3 mm intended for distribution in the local market shall be labeled as “Not for Roofing Use” or “For General Application”.

MC 21-13 also contains supplemental provisions on Philippine Standard (PS) License applications. PS License is required for all local or imported steel coils and sheets intended for the manufacture, fabrication, or forming of roofing materials as well as for steel coils and sheets with TCT of 0.2 mm to 0.8 mm intended for general applications which will be distributed in the local market in the form of plain or corrugated sheets. Those intended for the manufacture, production, or fabrication of automotive, furniture, electrical and electronics, food packaging, and other similar products shall be exempted from the PS License requirement. The importations and manufacturing of the same, however, shall undergo inspection and verification. Nonetheless, there will be no sampling and product testing, and succeeding importations may not be subjected to further inspection and verification provided that the importer has been previously issued a Certificate of Exemption for the same products.

To further facilitate faster turn-around time of product testing for Statement of Confirmation (SOC) applications, the BPS now allows the conduct of full testing or critical testing, whichever is applicable, at the manufacturer’s testing facility in lieu of third-party testing. This activity will be witnessed by the BPS, DTI Regional/Provincial Offices, or BPS-recognized inspection bodies.

A steep administrative penalty of PhP 500,000.00 and immediate suspension of PS License will be imposed against the manufacturer or importer found to have made misdeclaration or misrepresentation with regard to the intended use or purpose of the product in order to circumvent the certification process. If the manufacturer or importer has no valid PS License, the same will be blacklisted from importing or manufacturing covered products. “This penalty provision is included to prevent unscrupulous manufacturers or importers from circumventing the regulation which will be disadvantageous to the legitimate steel industry,” Secretary Lopez remarked.

The full copy of MC 21-13, series of 2021 and other issuances may be downloaded from the BPS Standards and Conformance Portal, www.bps.dti.gov.ph. Direct link to BPS’ issuances can be accessed through https://bit.ly/BPSissuances.

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