MANILA, Philippines — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has identified more than 20 steel plants allegedly linked to the production, sale or distribution of substandard and radioactive-bearing steel products, raising fresh concerns over the safety of construction materials being used across the country.
NBI Director Melvin Matibag disclosed the development on Tuesday, August 25, saying the agency’s investigation, conducted with the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) and other law-enforcement agencies, will extend beyond the recently raided facility in Davao.
“We have identified more than 20 steel plants like this,” Matibag said, adding that authorities will continue visiting other areas.
The disclosure comes after authorities uncovered alleged radioactive-bearing materials and substandard reinforcing steel bars at Davao Mighty Steel Corporation, where 174 Filipino workers were rescued during the operation.
THE DAVAO RAID THAT TRIGGERED FRESH CONCERNS
The Davao operation followed an investigation into the quality of steel products reportedly entering the commercial market.
Authorities said they found radioactive isotopes and allegedly substandard reinforcing bars at the facility. Reports from Philippine media said the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) had detected radioactive materials associated with the company’s products and operations.
The Philippine Star reported that technical examinations found uranium, thorium and radium in various parts of the operation, including finished reinforcing bars and production-related materials. It also reported that the company did not have the required PNRI authorization for acquiring, possessing, using, storing or handling nuclear or radioactive materials.
The NBI has since filed a complaint with the Department of Justice against individuals connected to the Davao facility over the alleged use of radioactive-bearing materials and production of substandard reinforcing steel bars.
MORE THAN 20 PLANTS NOW ON THE NBI’S RADAR
The latest NBI disclosure significantly widens the scope of the investigation.
Rather than being limited to a single Davao manufacturer, investigators now say they have identified more than 20 steel plants that may require further inspection.
Importantly, the NBI’s statement concerns plants allegedly linked to substandard and radioactive steel, and the investigation is continuing. The identification of a facility does not by itself establish criminal liability or prove that every product made there is radioactive.
Matibag said authorities will continue their operations in other locations and urged consumers, contractors and government project managers to scrutinize their steel suppliers and verify compliance with required standards.
THIS IS NOT THE FIRST RADIOACTIVE-STEEL CASE
The issue has already surfaced in other parts of the Philippines.
In July, the NBI and PAOCC raided Chuangxing Steel Inc. in Magalang, Pampanga, where authorities said they seized radioactive-bearing materials, contaminated equipment and allegedly structurally substandard finished steel products worth more than P3 billion.
According to the NBI, the operation also involved the protection of hundreds of Filipino and Chinese workers from hazardous working conditions. PNRI detected alpha- and gamma-emitting radioactive materials at the facility, while 10 workers were identified as having suspected occupational radiological exposure.
The NBI recommended prosecution of 12 company officers, incorporators and stockholders in connection with alleged violations of several Philippine laws, including the Philippine National Nuclear Energy Safety Act, the Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Control Act and the Consumer Act.
ANOTHER WARNING SIGN: MISAMIS ORIENTAL
The growing investigation also comes after a separate case involving a steel plant in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental.
In May, the PNRI confirmed elevated radioactivity at portions of the facility. Authorities said the radioactive material detected there had been contained.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) later said the plant remained non-compliant with several conditions of its Environmental Compliance Certificate, including requirements involving continuous emissions monitoring, an environmental audit and a multipartite monitoring team.
Taken together, the cases show that concerns surrounding steel manufacturing, environmental compliance, worker safety and radioactive materials are not confined to a single location.
WHY SUBSTANDARD STEEL IS A SERIOUS ISSUE
Reinforcing steel bars are critical structural components in buildings and infrastructure. If steel fails to meet mandatory specifications, the concern is not simply about product quality—it can potentially affect the structural integrity of buildings and other projects where the material is used.
The NBI has therefore urged consumers and contractors to determine where their steel comes from and whether suppliers are complying with the required standards.
The radioactive-material issue adds another layer of concern because it involves worker safety, environmental protection and regulatory controls governing radioactive substances.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
The NBI says its investigation will not end in Davao.
Authorities are expected to inspect other steel-producing facilities identified during the investigation and determine whether violations occurred, whether radioactive-bearing materials were unlawfully handled, and whether allegedly substandard products entered the market.
For consumers, contractors and government agencies, the immediate question is no longer simply where the steel was manufactured.
It is whether potentially non-compliant products have already made their way into homes, commercial buildings or public infrastructure—and how far the investigation will ultimately reach.
The NBI’s identification of more than 20 plants could therefore mark only the beginning of a much larger nationwide investigation.
The biggest question now: If authorities have already identified more than 20 plants, how many construction projects may have used steel that investigators are now examining?
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