The Philippine steel industry is urging the government to move faster in adopting mandatory seismic-grade reinforcing steel bars, arguing that every month of delay leaves buildings and lives unnecessarily exposed in one of the world’s most earthquake-prone countries.
The Philippine Iron & Steel Institute (PISI) has called on the Department of Trade and Industry to accelerate the rollout of updated standards for deformed steel bars, saying the proposed compliance deadline of April 30, 2027 is too far away given the country’s seismic risks.
PISI President Joel Ronquillo said the industry fully supports the revised Philippine National Standard but believes public safety demands a much shorter transition period.
In recommendations submitted to Trade Secretary Cristina A. Roque, the group said the consultation process is important but warned that an extended implementation timeline could delay the benefits of stronger construction standards.
The institute is asking the DTI to cut the public comment period ending Sept. 21, 2026 to no more than seven days, immediately stop the production of regular-grade reinforcing bars and require full compliance with the revised standard within three months.
The proposal comes as recent earthquakes underscore the stakes. PISI said seismic events over the past 90 days have claimed 121 lives, injured 1,316 people and affected around 1.65 million Filipinos, reinforcing the need for stricter safeguards in the construction sector.
The group also rejected concerns that manufacturers need more time to adjust, saying local producers already have sufficient capacity to replace conventional rebars with seismic-grade products.
Beyond compliance, the debate reflects a broader question of whether regulation can keep pace with disaster risk. Stronger building standards deliver little benefit if implementation lags behind recurring natural hazards.
PISI thanked the DTI’s Bureau of Philippine Standards and the European Union Standards Programme for advancing the revised standard but maintained that the measure should take effect as quickly as possible, arguing that faster adoption would strengthen infrastructure resilience while helping prevent avoidable loss of life when the next major earthquake strikes.
