The Department of the Interior and Local Government-Cordillera Administrative Region (DILG-CAR) prodded its local government units (LGUs) to put up accessible ‘Timbangan ng Bayan Centers’ in all public and private markets to safeguard the consumers against deceptive and unfair sales acts and practices.
The move is an implementation of the Republic Act No. 11706 or the Consumer Act of the Philippines, which directs all provincial, city, and municipal governments to establish accessible Timbangan ng Bayan Centers in all public and private markets, including supermarkets, and when practicable, in flea markets or tiangges and grocery stores, within their respective localities.
DILG-CAR Regional Director Araceli San Jose said the ‘Timbangan ng Bayan Centers’ will provide consumers with a convenient way to verify the weight and quantity of the goods they are purchasing.
“The law stated that these centers must have the necessary instruments for determining weights and measures, which shall be available, free of charge, to all persons who need to confirm the accuracy of the quantity or measurements of products purchased or about to be purchased,’’ she added.
She pointed out that the market supervisor should be in charge of the safekeeping and routine maintenance of the ‘Timbangan ng Bayan’ instruments and shall be responsible for maintaining a record of every product found to be deficient in quantity or is substandard in dimension, as well as the establishment where the same was bought including name/s of the proprietor/s or managers.
“We, in the Department together with our LGUs will be closely working with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in coordination with the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines, the League of Provinces of the Philippines, the League of Cities of the Philippines, the League of Municipalities of the Philippines, and other relevant government agencies and stakeholders, to effectively implement the provision of this act,” San Jose assured.
The DILG-CAR chief noted that those found guilty of fraudulently altering, tampering with, vandalizing or destroying any scale, balance, 'Timbangan ng Bayan' instrument or weight after it has been officially sealed will be fined not less than P50,000 but not more than P300,000, or imprisoned for not less than one year but not more than five years, or both, at the court's discretion.
“Two consecutive violations will result to the revocation of the erring individual's or business establishment's business permit,” San Jose warned. (Chito A. Chavez)