TABUK CITY, Kalinga (PIA) — As the nation celebrates Consumer Welfare Month this October, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Kalinga advises the public to be smart and assert their consumer rights to protect themselves and contribute to a more transparent market environment.
Key to being a smart and assertive consumer is knowing one’s basic rights which include the right to basic needs, right to safety, right to information, right to choose, right to representation, right to redress, right to consumer education, and right to a healthy environment.
“We have the right to information. Dapat on the onset, you have the right to know anything and everything about the product you are buying. Dapat walang wini-withhold na information sa ’yo,” DTI-Kalinga Senior Trade Industry Development Specialist Maria Cecilia Baral explained in an interview.
“[As to] right to safety, dapat ‘yung mga manufacturers should see to it na ‘yung binebenta nila sa market is safe para sa mga consumers,” she added.
Baral emphasized that consumers have the right to be compensated for being sold defective products or unsatisfactory services.
“Kung di ka satisfied or defective ‘yung nabili mo or di maganda ‘yung service na binigay sa ‘yo, then we have the right to redress [wherein there’s] three courses of action– repair, replace or refund,” she explained.
In instances where sellers refuse to give compensation, consumers may file a complaint with the DTI.
“Pupunta sila dito, magfa-file ng complaint and then we will write the respondent, kung sino ‘yung binilhan nila. That’s why it’s very important din na alam mo kung sino ang binilhan mo para alam natin kung sino ‘yung hahabulin.”
According to Baral, most of the complaints they receive involve defective products and online purchases and are usually resolved through mediation.
“Pag nag-fail ‘yung mediation mapupunta na siya sa adjudication which is sa regional office. Very rare naman ‘yung ganun,” Baral said.
Baral said consumers are not precluded from filing a case in court particularly if it involves big-ticket purchases. (JDP/IOS-PIA CAR, Kalinga)
