Published January 4, 2021, 5:00 AM The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has stood its ground stating it does not need the concurrence from the Tariff Commission (TC) to adjust a safeguard duty rate on a particular import that has been causing injury or serious threat to a domestic industry. This was stated by Bureau of Import Services (BIS) Director Luis Catibayan when asked on the different stand by the TC over a decision by DTI Secretary Ramon M. Lopez to adjust the safeguard duty on the second year of the three-year definitive safeguard measure on imported cement. MB File Catibayan stressed that it is the “discretion of the DTI Secretary” and that the “DTI Secretary has the power to determine” the safeguard duty rate.