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The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), through its Fair Trade Enforcement Bureau (FTEB), sealed Php108,000.00 worth of uncertified products; and verified Suggested Retail Price (SRP) compliance among Basic Necessities and Prime Commodities (BNPC) in its simultaneous technical regulation enforcement and price and supply monitoring in Manila, on 11 July 2022.
Consumer Protection Group (CPG) Undersecretary Atty. Ruth B. Castelo and Fair Trade Enforcement Bureau (FTEB) Officer-In-Charge Director Atty. Marimel D. Porciuncula led the DTI monitoring and enforcement teams in visiting two (2) supermarkets and inspecting six (6) firms within Binondo, Manila.
The intense enforcement has led to the confiscation of 960 uncertified inner tubes worth Php53,392.00 and 1,456 uncertified electrical appliances worth Php55,070.00. Electric grills, food processors/mixers, blenders, rice cookers, electric kettles, LED lamps, electrical tapes, and batteries are among the electric equipment withdrawn for destruction.
Usec. Castelo emphasized that FTEB is consistent and steadfast in its enforcement activities. However, she acknowledged the challenge as sellers of uncertified and substandard products are persistent.
“We do not want to repress the sellers. But, we want to penalize them for still selling substandard and uncertified products while they are well aware that such is prohibited. These products should not even be in the market as they impose risks to consumers’ safety,” Usec. Castelo said.
The sellers of confiscated items have violated the following:
- DTI-Department Administrative Order No. 02, Series of 2007 prescribes the compliance to Philippine Standard Certification Marks Schemes; and
- DTI-Department Administrative Order No. 01, Series of 2008 mandates labels or packaging that indicate the consumer products’ nature, quality, quantity, and other relevant information, in the English or Filipino language.
From January to June 2022, FTEB has already confiscated 84,119 pieces of uncertified products worth Php21,139,676.89.
Meanwhile, through the team’s price monitoring, Usec. Castelo affirmed that supermarkets are compliant with the latest SRP bulletin, released last 11 May 2022.
“Stores are compliant with the DTI SRP bulletin; in fact, most products that we monitored today are being sold in retail at prices that are Php1.00 lower than our SRP,” Usec. Castelo underscored.
Furthermore, she urged supermarkets to offer a variety of goods so that consumers can choose from a wide range of quality and reasonably-priced products.
The DTI enjoins consumers to report retailers, distributors, and manufacturers that sell basic necessities above their SRPs or uncertified items, through the Consumer Care Hotline at DTI (1-384) or consumercare@dti.gov.ph. END
