LUNA, Apayao – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Apayao through its Consumer Protection Division (CPD) recently conducted its periodical Price and Supply Monitoring of Basic Necessities and Prime Commodities (BNPCs).
This August 16 establishments were monitored – nine grocery stores, and seven hardware stores. Some are Bagwis Awardees, but not all of them have a Consumer Welfare Desk.
Bagwis Awardees are those firms granted with the Bagwis seal and their role is to protect consumers rights, while the function of the Consumer Welfare Desk is to receive, record, and resolve clients’ complaints pertaining to their products.
The result of the monitoring activity showed that the prices of Basic Necessities and Prime Commodities remained steady with adequate supply.
Moreover, the firms with established Consumer Welfare Desk revealed that they haven’t receive any complaints. The Department of Trade and Industry staff found out that the Bagwis Awardees were obedient with the various fair-trade laws.
The purpose of this visit is based on RA 7581 or the Price Act Section 2, which ensures the availability of basic necessities and price commodities at reasonable prices at all times without denying legitimate business a fair return on investment and to provide effective and sufficient protection to consumers against hoarding, profiteering and cartels with respect to the supply, distribution, marketing and pricing of said goods, especially during periods of calamity, emergency, widespread illegal price manipulation and other similar situations. By Loremia Pareja
