Sub-standard pipes – Malaya

Sub-standard pipes

‘The worse part of this is that these pipes are used in the construction of skyscrapers. Imagine what would happen if these do not stand up to stresses that these massive structures must bear?’

We do have laws that protect consumers, such as RA 7394 and RA 4109.

These require importations of sensitive items to be subjected to mandatory testing by the Bureau of Product Standards of the DTI.

There is an existing MOA that allows non-government organizations — NGOs — to assist the Bureau of Customs (BOC) in looking over the documents and being witness to examination of sensitive items in the determination of any misdeclaration or technical smuggling.

There has been an influx of importation of substandard pipes from China that do not pass  this mandatory testing for ICC or Import Commodity Clearance. Most of them use other terms such as seamless pipes condoned by BOC personnel despite the fact that they were supposed to be coursed through Industry Technical Experts (ITE) who are representatives of the Federation of Philippine Industries (FPI) helping the BOC to curb technical smuggling.

FPI has personnel at the BOC. Yet, BOC personnel find a way of avoiding these FPI persons in clearing importations. These experts can delay shipments by insisting that they go through tests — welded tubes may get only a conditional release, which means putting up a bond and a prohibition from selling the product until it passes a hydro test. And if they fail the test, the item is confiscated!

These hot pipes (GI and BI) proliferate in the market and the BPS must do market monitoring to confiscate “hot pipes” or pipes that do not have ICC marks of the BPS. Hardware store owners are often caught holding the bag of  “hot” pipes that are confiscated and destroyed.

The worse part of this is that these pipes are used in the construction of skyscrapers. Imagine what would happen if these do not stand up to stresses that these massive structures must bear?

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Clearly, the country is achieving economic progress that is better than it has ever been and it looks like this will continue for a while despite the misadventure in Sabah.

But who is reaping the rewards of the economic mini-boom? What should our government be doing to make sure that not only the elite businessmen — the rich– are the ones getting richer? Shouldn’t the government be focusing its efforts on building up SMEs, in particular in wealth-generating activities, like manufacturing and agro-industry (food processing, agricultural efficiency, supply-chain management)?

Says an engineering professor: “Our S&T resources should be focused on their needs. The government should cut the red tape for SMEs to encourage them to grow without having to depend on lawyers, politicians and fixers, especially in the provinces. I just came from GenSan and Zamboanga last week. They’re all suffering from brownouts. The government should provide the infrastructure for growth. Right now, it is only the big corporations with the money, the lawyers and politicians, which are able to survive and expand. I suppose this is still better than nothing, but it’s certainly not good enough.”

Will a 7% growth for several years include the base of the pyramid too? Can it be sustained without the PPPs of the major Industrialists?

 What is the growth rate for the base of the pyramid?

The country director of the World Bank Motoo Konishi says:  “The Philippines is no longer the sick man of East Asia, but the rising tiger.”

Okay. But, the top ten richest Pinoys, judging from their surnames are nine Chinese and one Spaniard. Thus, after more than a hundred years of democracy and 55 as an independent country, the economic structure has not changed much?

Here’s a quote from a news report: “Economists say that, despite genuine efforts from Aquino’s team to create inclusive growth, little progress has been made in changing a structure that for decades has allowed one of Asia’s worst rich-poor divides to develop.”

Cielito Habito, a respected former economic planning minister, says: “I think it’s obvious to everyone that something is structurally wrong. The oligarchy has too much control of the country’s resources.”

In 2011, the 40 richest families on the Forbes wealth list accounted for 76 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth. This is unique to the Philippines, In Thailand, the top 40 accounted for only 33.7 % of the growth, 5.6% for Malaysia and 2.8 % for Japan. This is from Habito.

The top two Pinoys in the Forbes 2012 annual rich list, ethnic Chinese magnates Henry Sy and Lucio Tan, were worth a combined $13.6 billion, six percent of the entire Philippine economy.

Yet, about 25 million people, one-fourth of the population, live on $1 a day or less in 2009.

For decades after independence from the United States in 1946, important sectors such as air transport and telecommunications were under monopoly control. During Fidel Ramos’ presidency, air transport and telecoms were opened to others. Who came in? The same families that own everything else, except for one Manny Pangilinan, the one Pinoy among the Gods of Commerce!

The Aquino government’s mantra of a Daang Matuwid has resonated well with the international community. This, at least, pays lip service to public service.

The way to riches for many has been through the use of political connections. That includes many of our elite businessmen and their families.

***

The President is correct in his approach on the Sabah issue – that is to resolve the issue in a peaceful manner, rules-based, consistent with the government’s stand on issues of sovereignty and territorial disputes as exemplified in the West Philippine Sea.

By taking the path of peaceful resolution, the President took into consideration the safety and welfare of more than 800,000 Filipinos living in Sabah and averted bloodshed and the further loss of lives.

The welfare and safety of our citizens is primordial to the Aquino administration. This was shown when the Philippines opted to abstain from voting against Syria in the United Nations to ensure the safety of thousands of Filipinos who are working in that country. This approach has resulted in the safe repatriation of thousands of OFWs from Syria with the help of the Syrian government.

Both the Philippines and Malaysia share the same values and interests as far as cultural and historical importance of Sabah is concerned.

Both countries can show the world that the current crisis can be resolved by working more closely as neighbors, taking into account their long standing relationship in a broader perspective and as founding members of the Asean.

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