Aiming to provide an efficient consumer redress, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) continues to strengthen its No Wrong Door Policy initiative for the public – whereby they entertain and facilitate all consumer-related queries and complaints even if these do not fall under the Department’s jurisdiction.

The No Wrong Door Policy was initiated last February of this year by DTI-Fair Trade Enforcement Bureau’s (FTEB) Mediation Division.

DTI-FTEB Officer-in-Charge for Director, Ferdinand L. Manfoste, explains, “The Republic Act 7394 or the Consumer Act of the Philippines specifies that it is the policy of the State to protect the interests of the consumers, promote his general welfare and to establish standards of conduct for business and industry, which shall be enforced by the Department of Health (DOH) with respect to food, drugs, cosmetics, devices and substances; the Department of Agriculture (DA) with respect to products related to agriculture, and; the DTI with respect to other consumer products not specified above. To ensure immediate assistance to consumers, the DTI opens its channels to accept all kinds of queries and complaints and facilitates them for response of either DOH or DA”.

DTI-Consumer Protection Group (CPG) Undersecretary Atty. Teodoro C. Pascua underscores, “The DTI accommodates all the calls, text messages, emails, tweets, posts concerning product and service inquiries and reports and immediately acts on them, whether it is under its jurisdiction or under DOH’s or DA’s. Usually, the Department’s intervention hastens the necessary response and action, which resolves a consumer’s issue immediately”.

As of October 2017, the DTI-FTEB received 48 complaints that are under the other two (2) departments. Through the DTI’s facilitation with DOH and DA, 43 were immediately resolved.

Mr. Delos Reyes, one of complainants, gave a positive feedback to DTI, “You’ve turned my negative perception of the government around. Keep doing what you’re doing and more power to your office”.

Another client, Mr. and Mrs. Aurelio. said, “We would like to express our gratitude by commending the men and women of Fair Trade Enforcement Bureau of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) for upholding the consumers’ rights”.

Mr. and Mrs. Aurelio added, “We believe that there are still good people in the government, doing the Serbisyong Higit pa sa Inaasahan”.

Atty. Teodoro C. Pascua asserts, “DTI goes an extra mile to achieve a swift, efficient and effective consumer protection redress”.

He stressed that DTI is highly committed to strengthen the promotion of consumers’ right to redress through various advocacy campaigns aimed at empowering them to exercise their right for fair trade and be compensated for misinterpretation, inferior goods or unsatisfactory services.

For complaints on products and services, send an email to ftebmediation@dti.gov.ph or call DTI Direct 751.3330 or FTEB-Mediation Division (+632) 975.7965. For more information, you can visit the DTI website www.dti.gov.ph.