DTI urges consumers to pursue complaints

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) assured consumers of a prompt and efficient resolution of their complaints as they urge the consuming public to exercise their rights.

 Trade Undersecretary Teodoro Pascua said consumers have the right to redress or be compensated for misrepresentation, low-quality goods, or unsatisfactory services.

 “We don’t want our consumers to suffer from substandard products and services. They should exercise their right to redress. The DTI is just here to help them in case business establishments fail to act on their concern,” Pascua said.

Under the Consumer Act of the Philippines, consumers are entitled to ask for a replacement, refund, or repair of a defective product or unsatisfactory service, the DTI said.

The agency,however, noted that the right to redress does not apply when consumers “just suddenly changed their minds or no longer wanted a product or service.”

From January to February this year, the DTI said it received 1,460 complaints, all of which are fully settled.

Of the 1, 460 complaints, 337 were dismissed, 274 were archived, 269 were endorsed to other government agencies, 53 were escalated to adjudication, and 527 were resolved early through mediation.

DTI Fair Trade Enforcement Bureau (FTEB) director-in-charge Ferdinand Manfoste said 98.67 percent of those complaints resolved early through mediation were acted on within 10 working days.

“The DTI is highly committed to working on a complaint on time and efficiently. To do this, we firmly adhere to our Department Administrative Order (DAO) No. 13-02, Series of 2013,” Manfoste said.

Section 4 of Rules II and III of the said order states that resolution of complaints falling under the DTI’s jurisdiction shall not exceed 10 working days by mediation while 20 working days by adjudication.

Manfoste said there were 269 complaints endorsed to other government agencies because those did not fall under the jurisdiction of the DTI.