DTI reminds consumers of basic rights

• Source: http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/2611444811659/dti-reminds-consumers-of-basic-rights
• Wednesday, October 14, 2015

By Jasper Marie Oblina-Rucat (JMORucat/PIA10)

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, October 14 (PIA) – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) region 10 reminds consumers of their basic rights including right to refund, replacement and repair for defective products.

In a one-on-one interview with DTI region 10 Legal Officer and Chief of Consumer Welfare Division Atty. Fel Lester Brillantes during the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) radio program “Lambo Dyes” on 2 October 2015, consumers must be empowered and uphold their rights especially if they have been deceived by faulty products in the market.

He said that consumers have the basic rights specifically the right to basic needs, right to safety, right to information, right to choose, right to representation, education and healthy environment, among others. In a nutshell, he said that if product is defective, consumer has the right to refund, replacement and repair.

In celebration of the Consumer Welfare Month this October with the theme “Consumer Protection in the ASEAN Economic Community,” DTI together with the private sector and CONSUMERNET, a group composed of 16 national front line agencies in region 10 have come up with activities to promote welfare of consumers.

Atty. Brillantes said that consumer protection must be upheld especially in the ASEAN integration. Consumer rights must not be lessened and make sure products have high quality and proven safe since there will be freer flow of goods and as member of ASEAN, complaints will be easily endorsed to other ASEAN country.

He said this collaboration with different line agencies is so important to have synergy to protect consumers especially on resolution of complaints, since after all consumer welfare is not just the business of DTI but everyone’s.

First activity was a motorcade around Cagayan de Oro City and two more upcoming activities are the Regional Quiz Bee for high school students and awarding of DTI BAGWIS to establishments with excellent customer service and laws compliant.

Meanwhile, Natalie Igot of Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and president of ConsumerNet region 10 said that aside from these activities, they will also have Mangrove Clean Up on 16 October 2015 in Taytay, Elsalvador in coordination with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and Environment Management Bureau (EMB).

Igot said that there is a big connection of consumers and the environment. She said we cannot have just the business side such as factories because we are part of the environment. So part of the goals of ConsumerNet is greening and clean up.

In terms of education, she said CHED aims to deliver quality education through identifying and awarding schools with competencies.

Igot said that in every five years, CHED give recognition to schools whether they fall under Center of Excellence or Center of Development. The difference, she said, is with the rating. For ratings 95 and up, schools will get Center of Excellence while a rating of 80-90 will get Center of Development where they are dubbed leaders of the industry. This recognition will also assure parents of the quality education and service for their children.

However, she emphasized that these recognition is field specific. In region 10, Center of Excellence is awarded to Central Mindanao University (CMU) in the field of Agriculture, Veterinary, and Forestry; while Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT) for fields in Biology, Chemistry and Math.

For Center of Development, Xavier Univeristy (XU) was awarded in the field of Agriculture, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering Literature Studies, Education and Electrical Engineering; MSU-IIT for Civil Engineering, Physics and Information Technology; CMU for Biology and Math; Capitol University and Cagayan de Oro College for Criminology; Mindanao University of Science and Technology (MUST) for Math and Electrical Engineering and MSU Naawan for Marine Biology.

Igot said this list is up to December 2015 only and next year, they will have a new list again. For the full list, simply visit www.region10ched.gov.ph.