The Department of Trade and Industry Misamis Oriental Regional Office and Konsumanteng Kagay-anon, Inc. recently conducted a joint briefing for some 33 members of local media organizations on Consumer Rights and Responsibilities.
Hosted by the Cagayan de Oro Press Club Inc.’s (COPC) Media Konek, the Information-Education-
DTI Misamis Oriental Prov’l Dir. Eliza Pabillore welcomes media partners to the IEC on Consumer Rights & Responsibilities. (photo by Mike Baños, NPN)
“DTI has been conducting a series of IECs-Education and Information Campaigns across the region for various consumer sectors,” said Ma. Eliza Pabillore, DTI Misamis Oriental provincial director in her welcome remarks. “This year one of our IECs will focus with the media partners.”
Pabillore said the activity aimed to orient, educate and empower press partners on the jurisdictions of DTI and of the different Implementing Agencies of the government promoting Consumer Welfare; the Consumer Rights and Responsibilities, the different provisions of the Consumer Act of the Philippines, Price Tag Law, Sales Promo, No Return, No Exchange, Warranty, Repair Shops Accreditation, Price act, and other Fair Trade Laws.
Atty Fel Lester Brillantes fields a query from CDO Mama Blogger Maia Fortich Poblete. (photo by Mike Baños, NPN)
According to DTI’s National Consumer Awareness Survey conducted across the country in 2012 to 2014, only 30% of those surveyed had actually heard, 57% actually read and some 60% actually viewed on TV anything about consumerism.
Respondents could hardly identify their eight basic consumer rights and five fundamental responsibilities. They had no idea on how and where to file a complaint, or even determine what actually constitutes a consumer complaint. Consumers were also unsure of what laws or ordinances they could cite to when asserting their consumer rights.
KKI Pres. Mike Baños urges greater consumer participation in consumer welfare and advocacy.
To help fulfill the DTI’s mandate to increase the level of consumers’ awareness on their rights and responsibilities from 50% to a more respectable 80% by 2016, DTI Consumer Welfare Division aims to increase the level of consumerism by enhancing their knowledge and awareness on the relevant provisions of Consumer Act of the Philippines and other fair trade laws.
Among other things, this involves consumer education seminars to encourage more consumers to purchase duly licensed products and patronize business establishments which comply with government regulations; identify and understand their rights and responsibilities as consumers, guide them in handling their own complaints, and empower barangay officials to establish and maintain barangay-based consumer welfare desk (CWDs).
DTI-X Spokesperson Atty Fel Lester Brillantes interacts with CDO Bloggers President Ruby Caberte. (photo by Mike Baños, NPN)
For 2015, the provincial office partnered with relevant private and government agencies to further intensify consumer advocacy and fair trade law enforcement, Seventeen government and private organizations took part in consumer-oriented activities; 36 consumer forums were conducted with a total of 2,917 participants.
Consumer welfare and development also got an equal share of attention in 2015, with the office resolving 100% of all consumer complaints filed within the prescribed time (vs. 78% target, or 128% actual). A total of 921 firms were monitored (vs. 885 target, or 104% actual) and 100% of all firms with violations were penalized within the prescribed time in the decision. In part because of this high resolution rate, DTI Misamis Oriental garnered a 99.61% Client Satisfactory Rating (vs. a target of 90%) for 2015.
Media participants pose with DTI resource speakers led by Atty Fel Lester Brilliantes after the IEC Activity. (photo by Mike Baños, NPN)
As a follow up activity, DTI and KKI plans to hold a follow up orientation with the various government agencies involved in consumerism present to give media partners a better idea of which agency has jurisdiction over which consumer good or service, and as a consequence, advise their readers and viewers of where to seek recourse for their consumer complaints.
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