LEGAZPI CITY (PIA) -- The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is urging consumers to report any violations of their rights by online sellers.
Speaking at the Ugnayan sa PIA Albay, Malou Pasobillo, DTI senior industry specialist, emphasized that the DTI collaborates with other agencies such as the Anti-Cybercrime Group of the Philippine National Police and the Office of the Cybercrime of the National Bureau of Investigation to combat online fraud.
The DTI regulates internet use for e-commerce, and it works with other government agencies to perform this function, she said.
The rights of consumers under the Consumer Act (RA 7394) when shopping in malls or brick-and-mortar stores also apply when shopping online.
The Consumer Act outlines the responsibilities and liabilities of producers, manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, or sellers, and it imposes penalties of imprisonment, fines, and fees for prohibited acts.
The law also provides several rights to consumers, such as the right to affordable prices and good quality products, consumer product safety, and consumer product and service warranties.
Consumers also have the right to be protected against mislabeled food or products, which includes the requirement for an appropriate price tag, label, or marking indicating the price of a product that must not be sold at a higher price than the stated price.
Violating these rights may result in a fine of up to P10,000 or imprisonment for up to one year, or both, at the court's discretion upon conviction.
In 2022, the Fair Trade Enforcement Bureau (FTEB) received a total of 27,947 complaints, out of which 12,170, or 44 percent, were related to online transactions.
