Digos City, Davao del Sur – Four 7/11 outlets here have finally received their Safety Seal certification from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) as the latter continues to intensify its promotion of the safety and health protocols.

The DTI-Davao del Sur office has been advocating among the business establishments to secure a Safety Seal that would help them gain their customers’ trust further. While they are not obliged to apply for it, the agency has been staunch in encouraging more business owners to be part of the program.

Since the Safety Seal implementation in June this year, the DTI provincial office has already issued seven Safety Seal certificates within their area of jurisdiction. These include the one grocery store, two hardware stores, and four convenience stores, which are the 7/11 outlets at the University of Mindanao – Digos College, Digos Bus Terminal, Digos Doctors’ Hospital, and in Balutakay.

DTI-Davao del Sur OIC-Provincial Director, Engr. Maria Victoria R. Placer, said the issuance of Safety Seal certificates to the 7/11 outlets is momentous since it happened during the annual celebration of the Consumer Welfare Month in October.

“Although the Safety Seal is not mandatory, we see the program to be very beneficial for our consumers and the certified establishments. With the Safety Seal, establishments would increase the confidence if consumers because they would be assured that the store they are visiting is compliant with the minimum public health standards set by the government and has adopted the CCTS or the local digital contact tracing application in the province,” the trade official said.

DTI-Davao del Sur OIC-chief for consumer protection, Ramir D. Labastida, shared that the application is online. As such, he noted that the process is really convenient for the business establishments that may have difficulty or limitations in moving around because of certain COVID-19 restrictions.

“Apart from being online, it is also for free, so, we highly encourage all our business establishments in the province of Davao del Sur to avail of this program,” Labastida said.

“Once their online application is sent, we will be prompted by the system with an inspection link and inspection security code. This will then be our signal to conduct a physical inspection of the store. After careful evaluation of their compliance to minimum public health standards and adoption of CCTS, we will then approve or disapprove their online application. Once approved, the Safety Seal Certificate will be automatically sent to them via e-mail,” he further explained.

The DTI issues Safety Seal for supermarkets, groceries, convenience stores, membership shopping clubs, construction supply/hardware stores, logistics service providers, barbershops and salons, and service and repair shops. ♦

Date of Release: 22 October 2021