VICTORIA, LAGUNA — In line with the National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Week celebration, the Department of Trade and Industry – Laguna Provincial Office (DTI-Laguna), in partnership with the Local Government Unit of Kalayaan, Laguna (LGU-Kalayaan), conducted a Consumer Education and Advocacy Activity on July 28, 2023, at the Kalayaan Municipal Hall, Kalayaan, Laguna.
A total of twenty-nine (29) participants comprising 86.21% females and 13.79% males were informed with the Consumer Rights and Responsibilities. In addition, more than half (55.17%) of the participants who joined the said face-to-face event are persons with disabilities (PWDs) while the rest are Solo Parents (27.59%) and abled persons (17.24%).
DTI-Laguna’s Trade and Industry Development Specialist Marites V. Pantua enumerated the eight (8) basic rights of consumers, such as the following: basic needs, safety, information, choice, redress, representation, consumer education, and a healthy environment. Moreover, she also discussed and reminded the participants that consumers have five (5) responsibilities as well, such as: critical awareness, action, social concern, environmental awareness, and solidarity.
As informed by the Person with Disabilities Association of Kalayaan President Edilyn Panuelos, the abovementioned learning activity was concluded with a positive hope from the participants who are mainly PWDs and Solo Parents: to be more valuable in the society. Furthermore, Panuelos remarked that the participants were thankful for the added skills and livelihood development they gained from seminars provided by the LGU-Kalayaan during the week-long celebration of the National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Week.
The conduct of the Consumer Education and Advocacy Activity is one of DTI-Laguna’s initiatives and programs to strengthen consumer awareness as well as to empower and protect consumers against fraudulent sales activities. It is regularly implemented throughout the year and peaks during the Consumer Welfare Month Celebration in October. ♦
Date of Release: 10 August 2023
