Cheap products can come at a higher cost when they fail to meet safety standards, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) warned consumers as it urged them to check product certifications before making purchases.
“Let us not sacrifice safety for savings because it can cause the loss of a bigger amount of our money and even our lives,” said Frankincense Macula, chief of the DTI Bureau of Philippine Standards’ Electronics and Electrical Products Certification Division, during a Consumer Welfare Month forum on Tuesday.
Macula said covered locally manufactured products must carry the Philippine Standard (PS) mark, while covered imported products must have an Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) sticker before they can be sold in the market.
The Bureau of Philippine Standards (BPS) collects product samples from warehouses and sends them to third-party testing facilities to determine whether they comply with applicable standards. Products that pass the assessment receive premarket certification, he said.
Consumers can check the required marks to help determine whether covered products meet safety and quality requirements.
Macula warned that substandard electrical appliances could cause fires and endanger lives, potentially making the initial savings from cheaper products more costly in the long run.
Samuel Gallardo, DTI assistant regional director for the Cordillera Administrative Region, also urged consumers to report substandard goods regardless of their prices.
“Each product has a standard, and part of the role of DTI is to warn the public about substandard products and what to avoid through the trainings,” Gallardo said.
He encouraged buyers to understand their consumer rights, prioritize quality and file complaints when products or services fail to meet expectations.
Consumers may file complaints with the DTI virtually, including those involving online purchases and transactions at physical stores. The agency can facilitate dialogue and mediation between consumers and businesses, he said.
“Something has to be done to correct the mistakes in the market because this is not just about waste of money but also the safety of the buyer, the community,” Gallardo added.
The DTI-BPS also held a product safety caravan in Baguio City, conducting lectures and briefings for engineering students from eight higher education institutions across the Cordillera region.
In a message, BPS Director Neil Catajay said the bureau works to ensure that manufactured products meet prescribed standards so consumers receive value for their money.
He said the bureau invited engineering students not only for academic purposes but also because they would soon become licensed professionals whose work could affect public safety.
The BPS establishes standards and oversees product testing and certification for construction materials, chemicals, consumer goods, and electrical and electronic products.
These standards help ensure that products from different manufacturers meet consistent specifications and function as intended, Catajay said.
The nationwide product safety caravan is part of the DTI’s activities for Consumer Welfare Month this October.
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