8 of 10 consumer complaints ‘resolved’

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on Monday claimed that its newly established enforcement arm has been able to resolve up to eight out of every 10 consumer complaints in Metro Manila.

In a statement, the DTI said that its Fair Trade Enforcement Bureau (FTEB) has reported to have received between June 30 and August 15 this year 473 complaints from consumers in Metro Manila, of which 79 percent were resolved, dismissed or endorsed to other government agencies in those cases that did not fall under the department’s jurisdiction.

The bureau is still working on the remaining 21 percent of complaints it received during the period, the DTI said.

Of the complaints addressed by FTEB, 97 percent had been resolved within 10 working days, or within the prescribed time under the DTI’s Department Administrative Order (DAO) No. 13-02 issued last year.

The DTI noted that under the said order, consumer complaints falling under its jurisdiction must be resolved through mediation within 10 working days, or 20 working days if through adjudication.

“Achieving a rating of 97 percent on complaints resolution is an indication that the FTEB is highly committed in providing redress to consumers at the promptest possible time and manner,” said Trade Undersecretary Victorio Mario A. Dimagiba, who heads the DTI’s consumer protection group (CPG).

FTEB was recently created under the CPG “to provide fast and efficient resolution of complaints filed by consumers against business establishments in the National Capital Region,” the DTI explained. In particular, the bureau’s mediation division acts as the “hub for consumer redress in the region.”