TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan (PIA) - - There were 193 business establishments awarded with the Bagwis seal of excellence for consumers in the Cagayan Valley Region.

Rowena F. Mayangat, chief of the Consumer Protection Division of the Department of Trade and Industry - Nueva Vizcaya, said that since 2006, there were already 48 establishments that have been conferred with gold seals, 83 with silver, and 62 with bronze.

She said that the award system gives due recognition to all establishments that uphold the rights of consumers while practicing responsible business undertakings, with consumers getting the best value for money. 

"The program encourages the setting up of consumer welfare desks, or an equivalent, that will provide information to consumers and serve as a mechanism for the speedy resolution of consumer complaints," Mayangat said. 

To be recognized for the bronze seal, an establishment must satisfy the first level of the award system, which is the compliance to fair trade laws and the creation of a functional consumer welfare desk. 

To receive a silver seal, the establishment must satisfy all the requirements for the bronze seal plus the conduct of corporate social responsibility programs. For the gold seal, the requirements for the silver seal, in turn, must be achieved along with the compliance to some elements aligned with ISO-9001. 

Mayangat said that all retail business establishments can join the program, including supermarkets, department and specialty stores, appliance centers, hardware stores, and DTI-accredited service and repair shops.

She also said that they are still conducting monitoring to all recognized establishments to ensure the sustainability of the requirements set under the Bagwis Awards. (JKC/OTB/PIA Cagayan)