NAGA CITY, May 15 (PIA) – The Department of Science and Technology Regional Office 5 (DOST) conducted a series of training-workshop on the inspection, testing, calibration and sealing of weighing instruments among all city and municipal treasurers in the province of Camarines Sur on May 9 to 12 at the Bicol Centrum, here.

Alongside these local government officials, some public market administrators also participated in the said activity.

DOST 5 Metrology Laboratory Senior Research Specialist II Maria Josefa Soterana I. Chica said that the main objective of the training is to attain fair trade in the public market.

Chica cited that RA 7394 or the Consumer Act of the Philippines which governs this activity mandates the local government units to maintain and verify measuring instruments in the public market to primarily ensure fair trade.

“As consumers, we have the right to get the appropriate amount of goods that we paid. This is why there is a need to calibrate weighing scales in public market, and to level up proper weighing facilities in the public through the support of the LGUs,” Chica added.

The said activity provided legal bases on the use of weighing scales and fuel dispensing pumps in the market, as well as actual calibration of the weighing scale & pump dispensing.

DOST Camarines Sur Provincial Director Patrocinio Felizmenio said that being the metrology arm of the government, the DOST is also responsible to assist and facilitate in the technology transfer of knowledge among the local officials.

Felizmenio said that this is in pursuit of RA 9236 which standardized the units of measurements being used in the country, which is also being used as an international standard to protect the interest of every consumer from any untoward effects of inaccurate of false measurements.

One of the participants from the said activity who is Karl Mark M. Calleja, the local treasurer operations office of Iriga City said that he has learned a lot from the training, and it helped him appreciate the importance of this job.

“The flow of the discussion is organized and the resource speakers are profound. As first time to this training, I now understand that knowing the right way to calibrate weighing instruments and balances promote fair trade, and help the customers acquire the goods they bought with the right weight,” he said.

The said activity was also co-organized and supported by the Department of Trade and Industry. (PIA5/Camarines Sur)