14 firms get notice of violation from DTI

CEBU, Philippines — The Department of Trade and Industry has issued notices of violation to 14 retailers of construction and hardware materials in Cebu for allegedly selling substandard products.

DTI-7 Director Asteria Caberte said the notices were issued to avoid compromising consumers’ safety.

She affirmed that the department goes after and cracks down establishments that sell uncertified, inferior, or substandard products. The DTI personnel confiscated the substandard materials, which include re-rolled steel bars, incandescent bulbs, PVC electrical tapes, among others.

Caberte said more areas in Central Visayas will be covered soon in the monitoring in collaboration with DTI regional and provincial staff from the Consumer Protection Division.

"DTI’s intensified monitoring and enforcement efforts include going after unscrupulous importers, traders, and retailers that disregard the Consumer Act (RA 7394) and Product Standards Law (RA4109)," Caberte said in a statement.

She stressed that as stated in the Standards Law, the importation, distribution, offer for sale or manufacture of any product covered by mandatory product certification which does not bear the BPS (Bureau of Product Standards) required identification and product markings is prohibited.

Caberte revealed that most retailers recently given the notice have violated the Consumer Act or RA 4109 which prohibits against deceptive sales act or practices claiming a consumer product is of a particular standard, quality, grade, style or model when in fact it is not.

 The public are encouraged to report any substandard products or harmful business practices by calling the DTI's consumer care hotline at 1-384 (1-DTI) or emailing [email protected]. FPL (FREEMAN)