2015 Consumer Welfare Month Celebration
following the format contained in the enclosure.
Pursuant to Presidential Proclamation No. 1098
dated July 26, 1997 entitled Declaring the Month of
October of Every Year as Consumer Welfare
Month, the Department of Education (DepEd)
announces the observance of the 2015 Consumer
Welfare Month with the theme Consumer
Protection in the ASEAN Economic Community
this October. The Opening Program will be held on
October 1, 2015 at the Philippine Trade Training
Center (PTTC), PTTC Bldg., Sen. Gil Puyat
Avenue, Roxas Bldvd., Pasay City.
For this year’s celebration, the National Consumer
Affairs Council (NCAC) is tasked to ensure
successful observance of this Event with an end
view of increasing consumer awareness and at the
same time promoting the vitality of the country’s
economy.
The Celebration aims to:
 assess how far the basic consumer rights and
responsibilities have been recognized
nationally;
 provide a venue to flesh out policies, plans,
and programs, which will support the NCAC
in effectively carrying out its mandates under
Republic Act No. 7394, otherwise known as
the Consumers Act of the Philippines;
 serve as a forum to address the various
concerns of consumers in terms of safety and
protection; and
 encourage dialogue and cooperation among
consumers, business and government sectors
in advancing and protecting the interests of
consumers.
The DepEd enjoins all regional and schools division
offices, and schools to participate and conduct
appropriate, innovative and creative activities,
which will not entail cost or will not disrupt classes.
All concerned are also requested to hang a streamer
in a conspicuous area within their compound
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2015 Consumer Welfare Month Celebration
Formally Opens at PTTC
The Department of Trade and Industry -Consumer
Protection Group (CPG) through its National
Consumer Affairs Council (NCAC) formally
opened the 2015 Consumer Welfare Month
Celebration at the Philippine Trade Training Center
on 1 October 2015.
The theme for the year is “Consumer Protection in
the ASEAN Economic Community.” The
celebration highlights the basic rights of consumers
to quality, affordable, safe and effective products
and services. It also reminds consumers of
their responsibility to be critically aware in every
aspect of consumption.
PTTC, the training arm of DTI is this year’s choice
venue of DTI- CPG and NCAC for their kick-off
activity led by Hon. DTI Undersecretary for
Consumer Protection Group Atty. Victorio Mario
A. Dimagiba.
The CPG through NCAC event held at PTTC
venue transpired the following prime activities:
Awarding of BAGWIS winners at PTTC Halls AB;
information sharing of servicing agencies at the
Lobby; exhibition and selling of local products at
Hall C; four-cluster simultaneous roundtable
discussions cum open forum with DOH-FDA, DOE,
DENR, and DTI at seminar rooms; and press
conference with DTI Undersecretary Dimagiba and
NCAC officials at the Conference Room.
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The National Consumers Affairs Council
Q. What is the composition of the NCAC?
The Council is composed of representatives from
the following government and non government
agencies:
 Department of Trade and Industry
 Department of Education, Culture
and Sports
 Department of Health
 Department of Agriculture
 four (4) consumer organizations
of nationwide base
 two (2) business / industry sector
Q. What are the power and functions of the
NCAC?
 Rationalize and coordinate the functions
of consumer protection agencies
 Monitor and evaluate implementation of
consumer programs and projects and to
take appropriate steps to comply with the
established priorities, standards and
guidelines
 Undertake a continuing program on
consumer and information campaign
 Submit to Congress and to the Office of
the President, a full report on the progress
of the implementation of consumer
programs.
Q. Who heads the NCAC?
The Council is headed and presided by a
Chairman who is elected by the members. He sets
up, with the concurrence of the Council, the
policies, procedures and the standards to govern
the implementation and interpretation of the
functions and duties of the Council.
Q. What is the function of the Executive
Director?
The Executive Director assists the Chairman and
acts as Secretary of the Council.
Q. What is the function of the Secretariat?
The Secretariat assists the Council in the effective
performance of its functions.
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The DTI Executive Committee (DTI ExCom) is
headed by the Trade and Industry Secretary and is
composed of the top officials of the Department.
Gregory L. Domingo, the current Secretary of the
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), is the
chair of the DTI ExCom.
The rest of the team is as follows:
Undersecretary, Management Services Group
(MSG)
Chief of Staff, Office of the Secretary (OSEC)
Nora K. Terrado joined the government service in
July 2013 when she was appointed as DTI
Undersecretary for the Management Services Group
(MSG). She is the DTI Champion for initiatives
related to enhancing the Ease of Doing Business
(EODB) in the Philippines.
Undersecretary, Industry Development Group
(IDG)
Adrian S. Cristobal Jr. first joined the government
as the Special Assistant to the Secretary of the
Department of the Interior and Local Government
(DILG) from 1991 to 1994. Thereafter, he
established his own law practice, taught politics and
governance at the Ateneo School of Government,
and served as adviser to heads of different
government agencies.
Undersecretary, Regional Operations Group
(ROG)
Zenaida Cuison Maglaya started her career in
government as a Medium and Small Scale
Industries Coordinated Action Program or
MASICAP Scholar under the then Ministry of
Industry, where she was assigned in Northern
Mindanao and Eastern Visayas; assisting small and
medium entrepreneurs (SMEs) in preparing project
flexibility studies to enable them to borrow money
from the bank.
Undersecretary, Industry Promotion Group
(IPG)
Ponciano C. Manalo Jr. was appointed as DTI
Undersecretary for Trade and Investment
Promotions Group (TIPG) on 21 March 2013. He
sits in various boards of government corporations,
agencies, and councils. He is a Governor at the
Board of Investments (BOI), Chairman of the
Export Development Council (EDC), and Alternate-
Member of the Philippine Export-Import Credit
Agency (PhilEXIM).
Undersecretary, Consumer Protection Group
(CPG)
Victorio Mario A. Dimagiba started his government
service when he joined the Department of Trade and
Industry (DTI) in 2005 as Bureau of Trade
Regulation and Consumer Protection (BTRCP)
Director. During his directorship that lasted for nine
years, he concurrently acted as the Philippine
Shippers Bureau (PSB) and the Bureau of Product
Standards (BPS) Director-in-Charge, and Officer-
in-Charge for the Office of Legal Affairs (OLA)
and the Consumer Welfare and Business Regulation
Group (CWBRG). He was also the National
Consumer Affairs Council (NCAC) Chairman for
three years.
Undersecretary, Liaison Office for Legislative
Affairs (LOLA)
Head, Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN)/Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
(APEC) Integration-Specific Initiative on SME
Trade Facilitation
Prudencio M. Reyes Jr. was appointed DTI
Undersecretary for the Association of Southeast
Asian Nations (ASEAN)/Asia-Pacific Economic
Cooperation (APEC) Integration-Specific Initiative
on SME Trade Facilitation on 17 June 2014. He is
also the Supervising Undersecretary for the Liaison
Office for Legislative Affairs (LOLA),
Commerce Office (ECO), and Construction
Industry Authority of the Philippines (CIAP). He
also serves as the Philippine Senior Official on
Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines
East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA)
---------------------------------------------------------------
Speaking at the World Trade Organization (WTO)
Public Forum opening plenary in Geneva,
Switzerland, Department of Trade and Industry
(DTI) Secretary Gregory Domingo has emphasized
the importance of integrating Micro Small and
Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in global trade if we
are to make trade work better for all.
The Public Forum is the WTO’s largest annual
outreach event, which provides a platform for
participants to discuss the latest developments in
world trade and to propose ways of enhancing the
multilateral trading system. The week-long event
regularly attracts over 1,500 representatives from
civil society, academia, business, the media,
governments, parliamentarians, and inter-
governmental organizations.
Domingo was invited by the WTO to provide his
perspectives on “Making Trade Work for Business”
in a plenary debate together with WTO Director
General Roberto Azevedo and private sector
representatives. The debate particularly focused on
the relationship between trade and business,
including small and medium enterprises (SMEs)
and agribusiness.
“Global Value Chains (GVCs) and technological
developments have been catalysts for trade growth,
and the Philippines has been beneficiary of these
developments, look at where our electronics sector
is now. However, if we are to make trade work for
all, then we have to address challenges and foster
opportunities for the 95% of businesses–the
MSMEs. Therefore we need to create more
pipelines for MSMEs to integrate to regional and
global markets,” Domingo said.
E-
The Philippine mission to the WTO has also
organized a working session in the public forum
focusing on “Fostering the Participation of Micro,
Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in
Regional and Global Markets” bringing
perspectives of UNCTAD, ITC, the World Bank
and the WTO, together with Secretary Domingo.
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Nestor P. Palabyab stays as the head of the
Philippine Trade Training Center (PTTC), an
attached agency of the Department of Trade and
Industry (DTI).
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Programs that promote gender diversity and
women’s economic empowerment have gained
momentum following the Philippines’ successful
hosting of the recently concluded APEC Women
and Economy 2015 Fora (APEC WE 2015 FORA)
held last 15 to 18 September 2015. With the theme
"Women as Prime Movers of Inclusive Growth",
the lively and participatory discussions during the
fora’s three components served to galvanize the 21
APEC member-economies into putting in motion
concrete and actionable plans to boost women’s
economic participation.
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APEC – Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation is a
forum for 21 Pacific Rim member economies that
promotes free tradethroughout the Asia-
Pacific region.
ASEAN – Association of Southeast Asian Nations
is a political and economic organisation of
ten Southeast Asian countries. It was formed on 8
August 1967 by Indonesia, Malaysia,
[10]
the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand.
then, membership has expanded to
include Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar
(Burma), and Vietnam. Its aims include
accelerating economic growth, social progress,
and sociocultural evolution among its members,
protection of regional peace and stability, and
opportunities for member countries to resolve
differences peacefully.
WTO – World Trade Organization deals with the
global rules of trade between nations. Its main
function is to ensure that trade flows as smoothly,
predictably and freely as possible.
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On September 30, 2015, the Department of Trade
and Industry proudly opened the 100th Negosyo
Center in the municipality of San Jose, Dinagat
Island. DTI Secretary Gregory L. Domingo
remarked, “I am very happy to announce that we
have opened 100 Negosyo Centers across the
Philippines thus far; this is very much in line with
the DTI’s mission to support the growth and
development of our MSMEs, which is what we
pushed for during the last APEC SME Ministerial
Meetings in Iloilo.”
In accordance with RA 10644, or the “Go Negosyo
Act,” the DTI was designated as the lead agency for
the establishment of Negosyo Centers in all
provinces, cities, and municipalities of the
Philippines, to promote ease of doing business and
facilitate access to services for MSMEs within its
jurisdiction. Towards this, the DTI has worked
[1]
closely with other government agencies –
particularly the local government units – and the
private sector, to provide holistic services to
MSMEs wherever possible.
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he Consumer Act, RA 7394
Q. What is R.A. 7394?
Since
R.A. 7394, is the Consumer Act of the Philippines,
which took effect on 15 July 1992.
Q. State briefly the declaration of the Basic
Policy.
It is the policy of the State to protect interest of the
consumer, promote his general welfare and to
establish standards of conduct for business and
industry.
Q. What are the objectives of the Consumer
Act?
 Protection of consumer against hazards to
health and safety.
 Protection of consumer against deceptive,
unfair and unconscionable sales acts and
practices;
 Provision of information and education to
facilitate sound choice and the proper
exercise of rights by the consumer;
 Provision of adequate rights and means of
redress;
 Involvement of consumer representative
in the formulation of social and economic
policies
Q.What government agencies implement the
Consumer Act? What are their areas of
concern?
 DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND
INDUSTRY (DTI)
o Consumer Product Quality &
Safety
o Deceptive, unfair and
unconscionable sales act and
practices
o Weights and measures
(metrication)
o Consumer Products and Service
Warranties
o Price Tag
o Labeling and Packaging
o Liability foe Products and
Services
o Services and repair shops
o Advertising and sales promotion
 Department of Agriculture (DA)
o Agricultural Products
 Quality and safety
 Labeling and packaging
 Department of Education, Culture and
Sports (DECS)
o Consumer education and
information
 Department of Health (DOH)
o Food, drugs, cosmetics and
devices and hazardous substance
 Quality and safety
 Labeling and Packaging
 Advertising and Sales
Promotion
 Price Tag
 Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)
o Consumer Credit Transactions
extended by banks and other
financial intermediaries
 Securities & Exchange Commission
(SEC)
o Credit facilities extended to
consumer by financing companies