By Maria Asumpta Estefanie C. Reyes
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga (PIA) — The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is strengthening consumer protection initiatives in Central Luzon through regular price monitoring, collaboration with local government units (LGUs) and consumer organizations, and an online complaints resolution system.
During the fourth episode of the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas of the Philippine Information Agency for 2025, DTI Regional Director Edna Dizon highlighted the agency’s continuous efforts to regulate prices and ensure compliance with product standards, particularly for basic and prime commodities.
She emphasized that the Consumer Protection Division, both at the regional and provincial levels, has been actively working with LGUs to support these initiatives.
Under Republic Act 7581, otherwise known as the Price Act, LGUs are mandated to establish Local Price Coordinating Councils (LPCCs).
As of 2024, 131 out of the 137 LGUs in the region have active LPCCs.
“In fact, the LPCCs are composed of various agencies, private and local, to really monitor the prices of basic commodities, especially in the public markets,” Dizon explained.
With this, the agency continues to enhance its partnership with LPCCs and consumer organizations to promote fair pricing, protect consumer rights, and ensure market transparency.
DTI also works with other agencies, particularly in the agricultural sector, to help stabilize the prices of essential goods such as rice.
Beyond price monitoring, the agency enforces consumer protection by handling complaints and ensuring business establishments comply with mandatory product standards.
DTI remains committed to resolving consumer complaints efficiently through mediation and adjudication.
In 2023 and 2024, the agency successfully resolved 100 percent of all consumer complaints received.
To further streamline and improve consumer protection efforts, DTI launched the Philippine Online Dispute Resolution System (PODRS) last year. This platform provides a more accessible and efficient way to resolve complaints.
“So, if you have complaints, we do have the PODRS now as part of the digitization efforts of the government. We are now implementing the online consumer handling for consumer complaints,” Dizon stated.
In 2024 alone, 220 complaints were successfully resolved through PODRS.
These initiatives underscore DTI’s ongoing commitment to safeguarding consumer welfare in Central Luzon. (CLJD/MAECR, PIA Region 3-Pampanga)
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