Two union leaders from the cement industry have voiced strong support for the safeguard duty on imported cement, arguing the measure is essential to protect Filipino jobs and secure the future of local manufacturers.
Bonifacio Lesniana, union president of the FRCEU – Sentro for Rank and File Union, said workers fully endorse the safeguard duty to protect both the cement industry and the people who depend on it.
“We agree and such measures must be implemented to provide protection to the cement workers’ union in the Philippines,” Lesniana said in Filipino.
“We, the local union FRCEU, support safeguard duties to ensure the future of cement industries. Long live the working class,” he said.
Echoing the sentiment, Cris Marquez, president of the FRSEU for Supervisor Union, expressed concern about the negative impact of inexpensive imports on local employment and manufacturers.
“As a worker in the cement industry, the FRSEU agrees with the imposition of anti-dumping duties by the Philippines on imported cement from other countries, not just Vietnam,” Marquez said in Filipino.
“This is a great danger to the local manufacturers that we are currently experiencing,” he said.
The unions also noted the immediate concern of layoffs. As local companies struggle to compete with lower-priced imports, workers are already facing consequences. Slower operations have led to job losses, and they fear more layoffs could follow if the industry’s weakness persists.
Marquez warned that “the removal and lowering of the tariff on imported cement will cause destruction to the local cement producers in the Philippines. The FRSEU supports these safeguard duties.”
For these leaders, the duty is fundamentally about safeguarding Filipino workers and ensuring the cement industry’s survival. Other labor groups across the country are anticipated to express similar support in the near future, indicating a growing movement backing protective measures for the industry.
