DTI to purge online market of bad traders

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Alfredo Pascual vowed to address mounting consumer complaints across online selling platforms by weeding out unscrupulous traders selling fake products.

“I will task our eCommerce platform operators to do their part in weeding out potential sources of complaints,” Pascual said in his speech at the launch of the Philippine Online Dispute Resolution System (PODRS)-Consumer Complaints and Assistance and Resolution (CARe) system Friday.

He reiterated the DTI’s commitment to observe and enforce Consumer Act, noting that the launch of the web-based national consumer complaint portal will protect the rights and interests of consumers.

“These systems are designed to streamline the dispute resolution of consumer complaints handling process, making it easier for individuals and businesses to seek redress and find solutions to these issues,” Pascual added.

Citing the Global Digital report published earlier this year, Pascual said internet penetration in the Philippines now stands at 73 percent of the total population, approximately 85 million Filipinos as internet users.

The report also highlighted a significant increase in consumer complaints received at the DTI, particularly at the height of the pandemic.

The ultimate goal of the online dispute system is to establish a central online platform for consumer redress, to automate and interconnect all other agencies involve in Consumer Network (ConsumerNet), which is a network of government agencies tasked to implement consumer-related laws and consumer protection functions.

The PODRS-CARe system will make it easier for consumers to file complaints and receive resolution for products and services acquired online or offline from business in the Philippines, while ensuring the consumer’s data privacy, as well, strict compliance to the Data Privacy Act.

The DTI aims to link the PODRS-CARe system with the ASEAN dispute resolution for effective cross-border and regional complaints.

“We are part of the ASEAN, and we’re supposed to be operating as a single market. Cross-border transactions are increasing, there are products purchased by Philippine consumers from other countries,”