In a bid to engage more stakeholders in advocating for consumer awareness and education, the Department of Trade and Industry—Davao del Sur Provincial Office—gathered representatives from national government agencies, business establishments, and other stakeholders for a forum and consultation in four batches on October 25 and 29, 2024, at the DTI Davao del Sur Conference Room.
The participants were scheduled as follows: October 25 (AM) – national government agencies and stakeholders, October 25 (PM) – supermarkets, grocery stores, and convenience stores, October 29 (AM) – appliance and home improvement dealers and October 29 (PM) – hardware stores.
The said series of gatherings, which is part of the agency’s Consumer Welfare Month celebration, sought to present DTI’s programs, activities, and projects (PAPS) conducted in the organizational outcomes of Consumer Protection and Consumer Education and Advocacy. Relevant fair trade laws, such as the Consumer Act, Price Act, Product Standards Law, and Price Tag Law, were also presented.
The presentation was followed by a consultative session, during which important feedback was gathered and consumer-related needs were solicited from the business establishments and other stakeholders.
Among the concerns and needed interventions gathered were requests for basic consumer awareness seminars, free assessment and certifications in partnership with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), consumer education drive in schools, and capacity building for employees on consumer awareness and entrepreneurship.
“This is the first time that we have done a series of forums and consultations specifically for consumer protection and advocacy,” DTI Davao del Sur Provincial Director Maria Victoria Placer said.
“Through the years, we have always engaged our stakeholders in our planning process. We put prime importance on empowering the stakeholders and design programs and activities that are truly responsive to their needs,” she added.
Pursuant to Presidential Proclamation No. 1098, series of 1997, October is celebrated every year as Consumer Welfare Month to promote consumer awareness and disseminate consumer information to both public and private sectors on policies and programs affecting consumer welfare. (PR/DTI 11)
