DTI 11, FTEB enforce product standards in Davao Region
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) 11 and the Fair Trade Enforcement Bureau (FTEB) conducted extensive monitoring and enforcement of Fair Trade Laws (FTLs), particularly on products under mandatory certification.
Trade Assistant Secretary Ronnel O. Abrenica and the technical experts from the Bureau of Philippine Standards (BPS) led the team in visiting several establishments selling construction materials across Davao Region last November.
The said activity was done to ensure that the products available in the market are of high quality and safe to use, and in accordance with the standards and technical regulations.
Fifty-seven hardware stores were monitored in the region. Nine were in Davao Oriental, 17 in Davao del Norte, 11 in Davao de Oro, seven in Davao City, and 13 in Davao del Sur. Out of the total establishments monitored, 24 of them were found to have violative products. Thus, DTI11 and FTEB issued them notices of violation (NOVs), while the products in question were sealed inside the respective establishments. Violations found were absence of the required standard markings and non-compliance to the prescribed weight of the products.
DTI 11 Regional Director Maria Belenda Q. Ambi explained that the sealed products shall not be sold to the public, pending the result of the investigation.
"Based on the report from the team, among the common violations found during the monitoring and enforcement were the absence of the required standard markings and the non-compliance to the prescribed weight of the products. Most were underweight," the regional trade official shared.
The monitoring and enforcement team focused on the markings of the products that included the sanitary wares, conduit pipes, steel wires, angle bars, steel bars, cement, and some electrical products. Also, to further ensure the quality of the steel bars, a few physical tests such as weighing and measuring were conducted. The team also gathered samples for further testing in the BPS laboratory.
Products under mandatory certification must have the necessary marks on them, apart from the certification they possess. The Philippine Standard mark is issued to locally produced products, while the Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) mark is for the foreign-sources products. The BPS-approved logo is likewise required.
Ambi said that amid the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the economy, the DTI11 and FTEB have continued to protect consumers by preventing the proliferation of substandard and uncertified products in the market.
"While the latest monitoring activity aimed to ensure that only quality products reach the market, it was also done to increase the level of awareness on the rights and responsibilities among the consumers. We want to educate the retailers on the existing standards and technical regulations being implemented for the products under mandatory certification," Ambi said, adding that the agency will remain true to its commitment to champion consumers.
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