THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is cracking the whip on service-related enterprises, saying they should comply with accreditation and licensing requirements to ensure quality standards and protect consumers.
In a statement on August 8, the DTI said it will be prompted to issue a notice of violation or a show cause order to any business that fails to meet these requirements. This could lead to formal charges and related administrative fines.
“Such efforts aim to ensure that enterprises seeking or have secured accreditation meet and maintain the required standards, and are fully compliant with existing regulations,” said Marimel Porciuncula, OIC director of the Fair Trade Enforcement Bureau (FTEB).
Porciuncula said securing an accreditation will uphold the integrity of regulated industries and protect consumers.
As of July, the FTEB has conducted onsite monitoring on 662 business firms in various cities and towns. In particular, monitoring was conducted in Metro Manila, Cebu, Misamis Oriental, South Cotabato, and Davao City.
These inspection activities covered 512 service and repair shops, 131 sea freight forwarding companies and 19 private emission testing centers.
The FTEB validated submitted documents, audited ratings, checked the availability and functionality of tools, equipment and facilities.
The Consumer Act of the Philippines requires the accreditation of relevant firms. This is to guarantee their reliability and competence in providing services to the public.
Under the law, any certificate of accreditation may be suspended, revoked or cancelled by the department after due notice and hearing. (Jordeene B. Lagare © The Philippine Daily Inquirer)
