Despite the pandemic limiting in-person activities to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the party has just begun! With the theme “Digital Consumers: The New Normal”, the Department of Trade and Industry – Consumer Protection Group (DTI – CPG) officially kicked off Consumer Welfare Month (CWM) last 1 October 2021, through the CWM Virtual Zumba!
Hosted by Zumba education specialists and entrepreneurs Prince Paltu-ob and Madelle Paltu-ob of Surge Fitness + Lifestyle, a Filipino-owned company based in Makati City, over 500 participants – from consumers, consumer organizations, industry groups, other government offices and DTI branches across the nation grooved to hip hop beats of well-known international artists through a 60-minute dance workout conducted on Zoom.
Instead of the annual DTI Consumer Fun Run, the virtual Zumba party, now on its second year, was conducted to adhere to public health and safety protocols. Those who had decided to participate in small groups ensured that prescribed social distancing and health measures were followed.
The national government introduced Zumba back in 2014 as a government-initiated approach to prevent diseases. Since then, regional health events incorporated these classes to promote better health and lifestyles in public spaces such as shopping malls, parks, hotels and barangays. As an aerobic exercise with moderate intensity, Filipinos have grown to enjoy the activity.
A variety of activities are lined up for the whole month of October to acknowledge the consumer protection programs of DTI. A few to name are the National Conference for the ASEAN Peer Review on Consumer Protection, the CWM Online Sale, where discounted goods are expected to be available on participating manufacturers’ websites for a limited time (19-21 October 2021), the 4th Consumer Youth e-Forum; to continually educate the youth on understanding and maximizing e-commerce opportunities plus utilizing these tools to overcome such challenges and risks in the New Normal (20 October 2021) and the Bagwis e-Convention that will acknowledge the 2020-2021 Bagwis Awardees.
For more information about the 2021 CWM activities, visit the DTI Consumer Care and Konsyumer Atbp. (KATBP) Facebook pages or send an email to CPAB@dti.gov.ph ♦
Date of Release: 7 October 2021