DAVAO CITY (PIA) – The Department of Trade and Industry in Davao Occidental has penalized two business establishments in Malita town, for selling substandard monoblock chairs.

DTI-Davao Occidental provincial director Ma. Joycelyn F. Banlasan bared that the discovery of the violation was a result of an intensified monitoring and enforcement activities on the selling of substandard products in the province.

“We have confiscated a lot of these products (monoblock chairs). Initially, we reprimand the owners and advise them to return the products. But if they continue to sell the products, our regional monitoring team will have the final (decision on imposing penalties),” Banlasan explained in the vernacular.

She said that the suppliers of the confiscated substandard monoblock chairs are from Davao City, but the erring establishments won’t reveal the original source of the products.

The DTI-Davao Occidental official has raised this concern during the episode of Gobyernong Balitaan radio program of the Philippine Information Agency over Energy FM Digos aired on Tuesday (Oct. 18).

She said that they are “very conscious and concern about substandard products because we’re thinking of the safety of the consumers.”

On the monitoring of the prices of the basic necessities and prime commodities, Banlasan said that they found no problem in this area and that the existing prices in the province are still within the Suggested Retail Price (SRP) of DTI.

She enumerated the products under basic necessities which include canned fish, processed milk, coffee, laundry soap, bread, salt, and among others.

The products under prime commodities are flour, processed and canned pork, beef, and poultry meat, vinegar, soy sauce, school supplies.

Banlasan said that the intensified monitoring and enforcement activities on the selling of substandard products and prices of basic necessities and prime commodities are part of the activities during the observance of the Consumer Welfare Month this October.

She added that with the support of the Governor Franklin Bautista, they have also strengthened the Local Price Coordinating Council to continue providing protection to consumers’ rights not only on the basic necessities and prime commodities, but also on other consumer products.  

This year’s Consumer Welfare Month theme states, "Sustainable Consumerism in the Digital Age." (PIA-XI/Carina L. Cayon)