By Junex Doronio
MANILA — For its record haul of P26.86 billion worth of fake goods from January to December last year, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on Friday (15 March 2024) lauded the National Committee on Intellectual Property Rights (NCIPR).
NCIPR is an interagency body headed by the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) that formulates and implements plans and policies and strengthens the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights in the country.
“Counterfeit products pose serious health risks, particularly with essentials like food, medicines, and cosmetics. I appeal to consumers to turn away from these fakes and choose genuine, locally-made products, ensuring their hard-earned money brings real value and supports our community,” Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual said.
IPOPHL said in its news release that the NCIPR booked a record haul of P26.86 billion of fake goods from January to December last year.
Pascual praised the efforts of the NCIPR as the DTI chief urged consumers to stop patronizing counterfeit goods and turn to the comfort and quality of local products instead.
NCIPR acting head and IP Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) Director General Rowel Barba disclosed that based on previous NCIPR meetings, most of the Bureau of Customs’ seizures consisted of apparel.
On the other hand, the majority of the Philippine National Police’s (PNP’s) haul was cigarettes taken from warehouses in various provinces.
(el Amigo/MNM)
By Junex Doronio
MANILA — After the announcement of Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on Thursday (29 Feb 2024) assured senior citizens that the higher discount on basic and prime commodities will be approved within March as it also aims to do away with the booklet.
On Wednesday (28 February 2024), Romualdez announced that the DTI could grant additional discounts for the elderly and PWDs by March, which are currently capped at P260 per month.
It was learned that under the law, senior citizens are entitled to a 5 percent discount on basic goods in supermarkets but it is capped at P65 per week.
From the current P65 per week limit, senior citizens will now be entitled to a P125 discount on basic goods, including agricultural products and cooking gas.
DTI Assistant Secretary Amanda Nograles disclosed that a public consultation will be held by mid-March where several proposals will be discussed like doing away with the booklet and replacing it with a QR code.
The agency also wanted the scope of products included in the discount list.
Nograles further bared the DTI will also invite the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to discuss the issue of a tax deduction for supermarket owners if the discount will be shouldered by businesses.
(el Amigo/MNM)
By Liezelle Soriano
MANILA — Department of Trade and Industry Assistant Secretary Amanda Nograles warned online sellers on their “no video, no refund” policy saying it is not legal.
Online sellers have been imposing the said policy wherein buyers should take videos of the product for it to be replaced in case it was defective.
Nograles also stressed that the “no return, no exchange” is illegal.
“Sa katotohanan, ‘yung ‘no return, no exchange’ isa rin yan na ipinagbabawal ng DTI kasi karapatan ng consumer na pwede niyang ibalik ‘yung item na nabili niya kapag ito ay depektibo. Kapag ‘yung item ay depektibo, bukod sa ibalik yung item, may option din siya na humingi ng replacement o pwede rin siyang humingi ng full refund ng item na binili niya, pwede rin niyang ipa-repair,” she said in a radio interview.
The DTI official also pointed out that such was an example of deceptive sales act.
“Isang halimbawa ‘yan ng deceptive sales act yung nagpapa-video ka bago tanggapin yung item,” Nograles said.
(el Amigo/MNM)
By Junex Doronio
MANILA — The country’s future seems bright under the administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. as his various foreign trips could create 220,000 additional jobs for Filipinos.
This was expressed by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on Monday (January 😎 since 20 projects received the green light and were registered with the investment promotions agencies of the DTI.
“Ito pong investments na ito ay both realized and in the pipeline and mostly nandito po sila sa sectors ng manufacturing, IT-BPM, renewable energy, data centers, and telecoms,” DTI Undersecretary for Communications Kim Bernardo-Lokin said.
She disclosed that as of Dec. 21, 2023, the total consolidated and processed investments had reached $77.178 billion or about P4 trillion pesos.
Out of the total, nine (9) are ongoing and operating, Bernardo-Lokin further bared.
“In terms of trabaho, ang total po natin diyan na nakuha is about 224,200 na jobs – iyon po iyong translation niya,” she added.
(el Amigo/MNM)
By Liezelle Soriano
MANILA — The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is urging the public to verify the authenticity of the firecrackers they intend to purchase for New Year’s Eve celebrations.
This caution comes in the wake of the DTI’s confiscation of 15,000 illegal products in Bulacan.
“Our inspections will continue until New Year because fireworks and firecrackers without the proper PS mark pose serious risks,” emphasized DTI Assistant Secretary Amanda Nograles.
She added, “The average consumer may find it challenging to scrutinize the PS mark.”
Prospective buyers are advised to ensure that the vendor is authorized by the Philippine National Police (PNP) and that the items bear the required PS markings.
To further validate their purchases, customers should confirm whether the specific type of firecracker or pyrotechnic is listed among the permitted items on the DTI website (bps@dti.gov.ph).
(IAmigo/MNM)
By Junex Doronio
MANILA — Amid all the political noise in the current year, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has revealed that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s presidential and state visits have yielded $5.28 billion or P294 billion worth of actualized investments.
On Tuesday, December 26, the DTI said the amount of consolidated and processed investments from Marcos Jr.’s foreign trips has reached P4.019 trillion or US$72.178 billion.
With these staggering figures, the DTI further bared that more than 200,000 job opportunities are now open to Filipinos because of the official foreign trips of the President from the last quarter of 2022 until 2023.
Citing data from DTI, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) headed by former journalist and lawyer Cheloy Velicaria-Garafil disclosed that Marcos Jr.’s trips in 2022 generated 7,100 job opportunities from Indonesia (September 4-6); at least 14,932 job opportunities from Singapore (September 6-7); and 98,000 job opportunities from New York (September 18-24).
The President also brought home last year 5,500 job opportunities from his visit to Thailand on November 16-19; at least 6,480 job opportunities from Belgium (December 11-14); and 730 job opportunities from the Netherlands (December 15-17).
In 2023, the DTI said PBBM’s visit to China on January 3-5 opened 32,722 job opportunities; 24,000 job opportunities from Japan (February 8-12); 6,386 job opportunities from Washington, DC (April 30-May 4); and 8,365 job opportunities from Malaysia (July 25-27).
(IAMIGO/MNM)
Photo courtesy of KJ Rosales/The Philippine STAR
MANILA — There are ample supplies of Noche Buena products, according to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
DTI Asec. Amanda Nograles assured the public that there are abundant stocks of Noche Buena items available until December 31. This affirmation comes as part of the DTI’s daily monitoring of products in supermarkets.
“Nagpa-price monitoring po kami sa mga supermarkets at grocery stores araw-araw sa DTI. Sa ngayon, batay sa aming price monitoring reports at sa mga suplay, makakarating ang sapat na kalakaran hanggang sa December 31, 2023, ng mga Noche Buena products. Wala dapat ipangamba,” said Nograles.
Earlier, the DTI released a price guide for Noche Buena products. While the list serves as a reference, Nograles urged customers to inform the agency of any store charging more than the recommended amounts.
The price guide covers items such as ham, fruit cocktail, keso de bola, mayonnaise, all-purpose cream, sandwich spread, spaghetti, pasta, elbow macaroni, tomato sauce, salad macaroni, and spaghetti sauce.
(AI/MNM)
INAASAHAN ng Department of Trade and Industry na bababa ang presyo ng pagkain ngayong pagsapit ng ‘ber’ months o holiday season sa bansa
Ito ay matapos ipatigil ni Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. ang pangongolekta ng libo-libong pass-through fees sa mga truck ng pagkain at kalakal.
Para kay DTI Secretary Alfredo Pascual, perfect timing ang utos ni Pangulong Marcos dahil inilabas ito sa simula ng ‘ber’ months.
Ayon kay Pascual, umaabot mula P75 hanggang P2,500 kada truck ang sinisingil ng ilang local government unit bilang pass-through fees sa ilalim ng mga lokal na ordinansa.
Aniya, dahil sa pass-through fees, tumataas ang gastusin sa logistics, na naipapasa naman sa mga konsyumer pagdating ng produkto sa merkado.
Iginiit din ni Pascual ang posisyon ni Pangulong Marcos na hindi maaaring maningil ng pass-through fees ang mga LGU para sa mga kalsada o government infrastructure na itinayo ng national government.
“This is one of the things they complain about, the pass-through fees that increase the costs of production and delivery of their products, so they are asking for an increase in the suggested retail price,” ani Pascual.
“We are not only lowering costs, we are also speeding up delivery so that the products from our farms arrive really fresh in our markets,” iginiit niya.
May ilang food manufacturers tulad ng Canned Sardines Association of the Philippines ang nagpasalamat kay Pangulong Marcos dahil imbes na pagtaas ng suggested retail price ang ibinigay, pagtanggal ng pass-through fees ang inihandog ng administrasyon.
Nagpasalamat naman si Pascual sa mga LGU na agad sumunod sa kautusan ni Pangulong Marcos.
Sa ilalim ng Executive Order No. 41, inatasan ni Pangulong Marcos ang lahat ng local government unit na ipatigil ang koleksiyon ng kahit anong pass-through fee sa lahat ng sasakyan na nagdadala ng paninda at kalakal.
Kasama rito sa ipinatitigil ni Pangulong Marcos ang koleksyon ng sticker fees, discharging fees, delivery fees, market fees, toll fees, entry fees, Mayor’s Permit fees at iba pa.