DTI DavNor set to distribute ‘Timbangan ng Bayan’ to LGUs

TAGUM CITY, Davao del Norte, Jan. 22 (PIA) – The Department of Trade and Industry will distribute ‘Timbangan ng Bayan’ (Community Weighing Scale) to all local government units in this province starting later this month until February.

Romy Castañaga, DTI-Davao del Norte provincial director, revealed Wednesday that their office will be dispensing a weighing scale to each of the cities and municipalities in this province, as part of their Consumer Welfare program.

Castañaga said that the weighing scales will be placed in the public markets, which will be supervised by the market administrator.

“These scales will be used by the consumers to check if they receive the right and correct quantity of goods equivalent to the amount they paid,” he said.

Castañaga said that if found out that there is a significant disparity on the quantity given, the consumer can complain to the market administrator and if found guilty, the vendor can be penalized depending on the policies of the local government units.

He said that the ‘Timbangan ng Bayan’ is part of the Ramdam Ka Ba ni Juan project, which also provides the cities and municipalities with ‘Bantay Presyo’ (Price Watch) Billboard.

Ramdam Ka Ba ni Juan is an initiative of the DTI to empower the consumers through various projects that uphold their rights.

Meanwhile, the DTI Davao del Norte also facilitated 28 consumer complaints last year, which were mostly on service and product warranty, deceptive sales and defective products.

According to the DTI 2014 report, 17 of the cases had undergone mediation and were resolved thereafter; while the other 11 cases were resolved immediately upon facilitation.

Delvin Santos of the DTI said that the other 11 cases were resolved immediately upon notifying the seller, in which the company guarantees refund or replacement of the said items.

“The other cases required mediation since there were no agreements settled during immediate facilitation; these cases include companies denying the accusations, among others,” he said. (PIA-11/Michael L. Uy)