CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA)–The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-10 convened several regional line agencies with consumer protection mandates, March 17, to discuss the revival of Consumer Network (ConsumerNet).
ConsumerNet is a network of government agencies that work together to protect consumers and make sure that consumer laws are followed.
Lawyer Fel Lester Brillantes, chief of DTI-10’s Consumer Protection Division, said the creation of ConsumerNet was first introduced in the country, November 1996, through a memorandum of agreement signed by its member agencies. At that time, the network aims to promote awareness of the government agencies tasked with protecting consumers and help facilitate the speedy resolution of consumer complaints.
Brillantes said the consumer network briefing was held to get the government agencies working together again and to set up communication channels so that problems and complaints from consumers could be dealt with in a systematic way.
The briefing was attended by focal persons from the National Food Authority (NFA), National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR);
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), Philippine Information Agency (PIA), and Cagayan de Oro City Water District.
Meanwhile, DTI-10 Assistant Regional Director Ruel Paclipan stressed how important it was to get the Consumer Network back up and running in Northern Mindanao to help deal with consumer issues and concerns.
“As government agencies with programs concerning consumer protection, we will have to work with one another, especially in the sharing of information,” he said.
The newly revived ConsumerNet agreed to have regular quarterly meetings to discuss consumer-related issues and concerns and special meetings for those issues needing immediate response. A Viber group was also created to further strengthen the collaboration among its members. (APB/PIA-10)
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