![âThis [flood control scheme] is a corruption on a scale that we have not seen in the past,â says Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon. âThe Napoles scandal is like petty change compared to this.â](https://www.panaynews.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Ombudsman_copy_resized-218x150.jpg "FLOOD CONTROL SCANDAL: Ombudsman cases filed vs DPWH staff, contractors")
BUSINESSES with online presence are given until Sept. 30, 2025 to register for the E-Commerce Philippine Trustmark (Trustmark), a move aimed to address consumer concerns, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said Thursday, Sept. 11.
Online merchants are mandated by the DTI, in a Department Administrative Order, to register for the Trustmark to increase consumersâ confidence on the electric commerce (e-commerce) space and in compliance to Republic Act 11967, otherwise known as the Internet Transactions Act of 2023.
âThe mandatory registration is also a direct response to the surge in consumer concerns, with DTI recording over 13,000 complaints related to online transactions from January to August 2025,â DTI said.
Under the Internet Transactions Act of 2023, consumers may file damage claims against the erring online businesses before the court or the DTI.
Penalties have been set, with the third and subsequent violations penalized PHP1 million.
DTI said it has already issued digital badges to several major entities that include Shopee Philippines, Inc. (Shopee), Bytedance Philippines Inc. (TikTok Shop), Lalamove Philippines, Inc. (Lalamove), and LG Electronics Philippines, Inc. (LG).
The others are Asahi Electrical Manufacturing Corporation (Asahi), Cherenz Global Mfg., Inc. (TOUGHMAMA), Concepcion Midea, Inc. (Midea), Concepcion Carrier Air Conditioning Company (Carrier), First Digital Finance Corporation (Billease), Mailtag Ortigas Corporation (DHL Express), Pan-Eurasia Sales Marketing Corporation (Dowell, Edamama and Tefal), QuadX Inc. (Gogo Xpress and ShippingCart), and Tosot Philippines Corporation (Tosot).
âTo earn and maintain a Trustmark, businesses must meet key regulatory standards, including full business disclosure, protection of consumer data, and the establishment of an internal redress mechanism to address consumer complaints,â DTI said.
Online merchants may file the Trustmark applications through the official portal at https://www.trustmark.dti.gov.ph, and may inquire for other issues through the DTI E-Commerce Bureau via trustmark@dti.gov.ph or (+632) 7791.3282, it added. (PNA)
