(PIXABAY / FILE PHOTO)
According to lawyer Trixie Cruz-Angeles, DTI DAO 10-20 Series of 2020 is “anti-poor and anti-development.”
Angeles also described the new technical regulation as “crippling and disadvantageous to general purpose and non-roofing sheets users and importers.”
“It seems BPS/DTI did not carefully study the impact the DAO 10-20 would bring to certain segments of the steel industry, and just issued it blindly without holding a public consultation to know the sentiment of these segments,” she said.
DAO 10-20, which mandates the certification of hot-dipped metallic-coated and pre-painted galvanized steel coils and sheets for roofing and general applications, took effect on January 13, 2021.
Senate approves vaccine law on final reading
THE Senate on Tuesday approved on third and final reading a measure seeking to expedite the procurement of vaccines against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and set an indemnification fund. With 22 votes, the Senate approved Bill No. 2057, which has been certified as urgent by President Rodrigo R. Duterte. “With this measure, we hope to see the start of the inoculation of our population, starting with the priority sectors, at the shortest possible time,” Senator Juan Edgardo M. Angara said in a statement. “We as a people have lost so much because of the pandemic in terms of jobs, opportunities and human life. However, we believe that with this measure, we have not lost out on the belief that there will in fact be an end to this ordeal,” the bill’s sponsor added. Under the measure, local government units and the private sector will be allowed to purchase vaccines through coordination with the Department of Health and the
Press Release
Senate Bill No. 1955 / Committee Report No. 160
An Act Providing for the National Energy Policy and Regulatory Framework for the Philippine Liquified Petroleum Gas Industry
Tuesday, 19 January 2021
Delivered by the Honorable Win Gatchalian, Senator of the 18th Congress:
Mr. President, the legislation we are sponsoring today seeks to regulate and promote an important energy source in our country - liquified petroleum gas or LPG, as it is commonly known. Specifically, LPG refers to commercial propane gas, butane gas, or a mixture of the two. LPG accounts for 12% of the country s demand for petroleum products in 2019. It is a versatile fuel used for many purposes: heating, lighting, and cooking for households, industries, and commercial establishments; and even fuel for motor vehicles, with overall domestic consumption growing at an average of 6% annually.
Philippine government s first testing facility set to open in 3Q21 11 January 2021
The Philippines could see its first government facility to evaluate cement quality begin operations by the 3Q21. Once operational, the unit would allow producers to have their products tested by the government. Our procurement of equipment is now ongoing, so we can conduct testing by third quarter, said Neil P Catajay, director of the Bureau of Philippine Standards (BPS).
Currently, producers have to dispatch their product to private firms, who in turn send the results to the BPS for review. At present, we have two recognised third-party testing laboratories for cement. We also accept results from tests conducted abroad for as long as they are carried out by our recognized testing laboratories in foreign countries, said Mr Catajay.