Philippines: A consumer advocacy group has called on the government to ensure the durability and integrity of its infrastructure projects by preventing the use of substandard construction materials. Philippine Product Safety and Quality Foundation executive director Victoria Padilla said that imported cement is not subjected to the same testing as its local counterpart. The group warned that when buying imported construction materials, including cement, there is no guarantee that consumers are getting a high-quality product. Padilla noted that local cement makers are required to send two or three samples to the cement testing centre for monthly product testing. Meanwhile, imported cement that applies for the certification are only required to allow an annual plant visit. Consumers may therefore be better off buying locally manufactured products because these brands are required to undergo rigid testing from accredited testing centres.
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