The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), through its Consumer Protection Group (CPG), holds the National Conference on the ASEAN External Peer Review on Consumer Protection on 18 October 2021 at 9:00 AM as part of this year’s Consumer Welfare Month Celebration.

The Philippines, through the DTI, is the first country in ASEAN that volunteered to undergo the first ASEAN Peer Review on Consumer Protection which aims to examine the existing consumer protection systems and provide recommendations on policy reforms and opportunities to further strengthen consumer protection in the country.

The National Conference presents the key findings of the Peer Review with a wider audience in the country as well as with international development partners. This is envisioned to help build the visibility and prominence of pro-consumer reforms in the country.

“The DTI-CPG extends its appreciation to each one of you who have been part of this ASEAN Project that will greatly assist our efforts in creating and implementing policies and programs for consumer protection,” DTI-CPG Undersecretary Ruth B. Castelo said.

The Peer Review Team (PRT) consisted of Malaysia, Vietnam and the ASEAN Secretariat, with support from the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ), regional expert Dr. Sathita Wimonkunarak, and country experts Atty. Anthony Abad and Atty. David Rosario (Trade Advisory Group, Inc.). The Peer Review used an innovative remote format for stakeholder engagement as an adaptive measure to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.

Consumers are encouraged to participate in the national conference through the registration link: https://tinyurl.com/DTINCEPR. They are also advised to regularly visit the DTI’s Consumer Care social media accounts for updates. For other consumer-related concerns, send an email to CPAB@dti.gov.ph. ♦

Date of Release: 18 October 2021