The Philippine Iron and Steel Institute (PISI) intensified its campaign against inferior steel rebars following the discovery of substandard items in random test-buys in Mindanao in September 2024, just a few weeks after similar findings in Northern Luzon.
PISI said it is proactively engaged in random testing to protect the integrity of the infrastructure sector as well as public safety.
Based on the test-buy results, the substandard rebars could be used to construct more than 10,000 houses per month, putting an estimated 30,000 people at risk, the group said.
The industry urged the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to conduct a surveillance audit of the companies involved.
PISI purchased rebars from hardware stores in Mindanao including Davao del Sur, Davao del Norte, Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Norte, Zamboanga del Norte, Samal Island, Cotabato City, Pagadian City and Iligan City.
Laboratory tests revealed that the rebars failed to meet minimum standard requirements for weight and were prone to brittleness.
These findings mirror those of the Northern Luzon rebars tested by the Bureau of Philippine Standards (BPS).
