The Department of Trade and Industry issues an Order imposing provisional safeguard duties at P3,438/MT in the form of cash bond for 200 days on imports of corrugating medium under ASEAN Harmonized Tariff Nomenclature (AHTN) Code 4805.19.10, 4805.19.90, and 4805.12.00.
This decision is based on the affirmative findings after conducting the preliminary safeguard measures investigation and considering the submissions of interested parties and evidence made available to the Department.
During the period of investigation (POI) from 2019 to 2023 and updated until 2024, the increased volume of imports, both in absolute terms and relative to domestic production, was found to be the substantial cause of the over-all impairment in the local industry’s operation. The market share of the domestic industry plunged to 54% in 2023, as sales declined by 2%, while imports captured 46% of the market. Despite a 24% increase in consumption demand and plant expansions in 2022, the domestic industry was not able to take advantage of the market growth. As a result, the industry suffered loss of market share, declining utilization rate, reduction in employment, and incurred losses.

The existence of a causal link between the increased imports of the products under consideration and the serious injury to the domestic industry has been established, and the existence of critical circumstances was established which warrants the imposition of a provisional safeguard measure in the form of a cash bond, while the case is transmitted to the Tariff Commission for formal investigation. It must be emphasized that a formal investigation by the Commission is wider in scope as it includes marathon public hearings to give all parties directly affected and such other interested parties the opportunity to be heard and to present evidence including the opportunity to respond to the presentations of other parties and to submit their views, in order to determine whether or not there is a need to impose a definitive safeguard measure.
The Department Administrative Order No. 25-11 shall take effect from the date of issuance by the Bureau of Customs the relevant Customs Memorandum Circular.

Safeguard measure, pursuant to Republic Act 8800, is a trade policy tool which allows the government to remedy serious injury caused by increased imports. These measures are temporary and are implemented to give injured domestic industries time to adjust to import competition and be competitive. ♦

Date of Release: 14 August 2025