The Department of Trade and Industry has terminated its preliminary safeguard measure investigation on aluminum zinc (GL) sheet and coils (SG Case No. SG03-2020) following the withdrawal of application for tariff protection by petition Sonic Steel Industries Inc.
Sonic’s withdrawal was on the ground that DTI-Department Administrative Order (DAO) No. 20-10, series of 2020, mandates that, all hot-dip metallic-coated and pre-painted galvanized steel coils and sheets for roofing and general applications shall have a minimum total coated thickness (base metal +coating material) of 0.4 mm as per Rule 9.4 thereof.
In effect, DTI said, the DAO effectively prohibited the manufacture and sale of all hot-dip metallic-coated and pre-painted GI steel coils and sheets for roofing and general applications, which fall below the said specification. Sonic claimed that the bulk on the surge in importations on which the safeguard measures applications were hinged on are GI, GL, and PPGI-PPGL products which are below 0.4 mm.
Thus, the applications for safeguard measure will become an exercise in futility, if not moot and academic, since these items are no longer allowed to be manufactured. DTI Secretary Ramon M. Lopez signed the termination order on September 24, 2021.