Sen. Francis “Tol” Tolentino (Senate of the Philippine FACEBOOK / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
Tolentino noted that the DTI has issued a series of administrative orders unnecessarily subjecting certain basic construction materials such as plywood, ceramic tiles and roofing supplies to mandatory product certification.
According to the senator, the high cost of construction materials could negatively impact the Philippine housing industry, especially during a pandemic, which has heavily affected the construction industry.
“According to data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), at the height of the enhanced community quarantine, the number and value of construction projects in the first quarter of 2020 shrank by over one-fifth, with construction works also placed on hold,” Tolentino said in his Senate Resolution No. 677.