DAVAO CITY – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Region 11 has vouched for the strict implementation of safety protocols among several business establishments in the region after approving 54 of the 99 Safety Seal applications it received.
Since the agency started its issuance in June this 2021, various business establishments submitted their requirements and requested for inspection. After a thorough assessment of their application requirements and business premises, the concerned DTI Region 11 provincial office immediately prepare for the issuance of the seal to the qualified establishments that are under its jurisdiction.
Of the approved applications as of 3 September 2021, 19 are groceries, supermarkets, and membership shopping clubs; 16 are construction supply and hardware stores; 11 are barbershops and salons; four are service and repair shops; three are convenience stores; one outlet of a logistics service provider. Under the national government’s Safety Seal program, DTI is the issuing authority for these business categories. Thus, 11 of the 99 applications were denied since such are not within DTI’s jurisdiction.
DTI 11 Regional Director (RD) Maria Belenda Q. Ambi shared that this initiative can benefit both consumers and business owners. She explained that by seeing the seal displayed within the establishment, the consumers are assured that they are visiting a safe place. They can expect a strict implementation of the required protocols to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. In the meantime, the said establishments will have a competitive advantage because of the confidence they can get from customers.
“This is DTI’s way of encouraging the business community to really ensure that safety and health protocols are in place at all times. Likewise, we want them to assure their customers that they are safe whenever they are in these places. The printed Safety Seal Certificates can be found right at the entrance of the business establishment. We in DTI are committed to champion both our business sector and consumers; that’s why, we put high regard when implementing programs like the Safety Seal,” the local trade official noted.
Ambi urged business establishments to apply for a Safety Seal online through https://safetyseal.dti.gov.ph.
It is worth noting that DTI 11, together with its provincial offices throughout the region, has been inspecting different business establishments. These visits are aimed at checking on their compliance with the safety measures since March last year following the declaration of Proclamation No. 922, which placed the entire country under a State of National Health Emergency. Through Joint Memorandum Circular 20-04A, the agency and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) jointly inspect business establishments regarding their adherence to COVID-19 health protocols. From January to July 2021, they have already visited 1,059 business establishments all over the region.
Apart from the safety protocols compliance, DTI 11 has also been assisting the Department of Health (DOH) in checking the hospitals and laboratories on the regulation of prices for COVID-19 RT-PCR testing and testing kits. A total of 19 facilities have been monitored during the first seven months of this year. ♦
Date of Release: 10 September 2021