A DEPARTMENT of Trade and Industry (DTI) official expressed optimism that the agency will exceed its 2024 total of approximately P300 million worth of confiscated unregistered products, as enforcement operations continue this year.
DTI Assistant Secretary lawyer Regino Mallari Jr. on Wednesday, October 22, declined to give the amount of substandard products they confiscated so far this year, but said monitoring continues nationwide.
“Mahigit isang taon na po ‘yan kasi continuous po ang monitoring sa NCR [National Capital Region] at mga regions natin. Tapos iniipon natin, tapos kinakasuhan natin ng formal complaint. Pagkatapos ng kaso ay maari nang i-destroy ng gobyerno. (These have been confiscated for over a year already because we have continuous monitoring in NCR and in the regions. Then we gather it and file a formal complaint. Once the cases have been filed, that’s the time we destroy the confiscated items),” he said, referring to the items they destroyed during the day.
Mallari led the destruction of around P4.6 million worth of unregistered ceramic sanitary wares and steel products at the DTI-Fair Trade Enforcement Bureau warehouse in Marikina City as part of the Consumer Welfare Month.
He said these products put the public’s welfare in danger since these have not undergone proper standards assessments and do not have the mandatory Philippine Standards (PS) and Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) markings, in violation of Republic Act (RA) 4109, otherwise known as the Products Standards Law.
He also noted that confiscation of substandard steel products is timely, given the series of earthquakes that have rocked several parts of the country in recent weeks.
Aside from ceramic sanitary products and steels, other products under mandatory certification from the DTI’s Bureau of Philippine Standards are household appliances such as electric fans, electric iron, electric blender, rice cooker, air pot, electric coffeemakers and television; lighting and wiring devices such as electronic ballasts, fuses, lamp holders, plugs, socket outlets, and Christmas lights; plastic pipes, cement and other construction materials, and chemical products such as motor vehicle brake fluid and fireworks. (PNA)
