Be vigilant, DTI tells Aklan consumers

2009/10/07

Be vigilant, DTI tells Aklan consumers

by Venus G. Villanueva

Kalibo, Aklan (7 October) -- Aklanon consumers should be vigilant, buying only good quality products and reporting to proper authorities when they have something to complain about the products or services they have availed.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) here, through Provincial Director Diosdado P. Cadena Jr. issued this appeal to Aklan consumers as the country observes this month of October Consumer Welfare Month.

Cadena said the DTI is on a more intensified monitoring of establishments especially with the forthcoming Christmas season.

He advised Aklanons to buy only Christmas lights with quality check marks or those containing an Import Commodity Clearance (ICC).

"Buy only from authorized dealers", Cadena told consumers over a radio program here at IBC-DYRG hosted by the Philippine Information Agency.

With the recent declaration of President Gloria Macapacal Arroyo placing the entire country under a State of National Calamity with the destruction to lives and properties wrought by Typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng, the DTI is also conducting daily monitoring of prices of manufactured goods in establishments in Aklan for violators of automatic price ceiling of goods.

Cadena said that during the first day of monitoring, there was 100% compliance of the automatic price ceiling, but on Monday and Tuesday, the monitors of DTI found three offenders.

Offenders, according to him, could be penalized from P20,000 to P1 million and suffer imprisonment of 10 years if found to be violating the automatic price ceiling. He assured however, that due process will be applied by the DTI.

Cadena called on the local media to help the government spread the information about automatic price control not only of manufactured goods under the jurisdiction of DTI but also of agricultural and forest products and medicines under the watch of DA, DENR and DOH respectively.

He also called on business establishment owners not to exploit the current situation for their own opportunities.

"Please be conscious that this Automatic Price Control will be here for a while, let us help our countrymen now, so we could all go back to our normal lives," Cadena appealed to businessmen. (PIA)


Diosdado Cadena Jr.