CIVIL servants belong to the nation’s unsung heroes as they do not always get tangible rewards or recognitions when they perform their sworn duty with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty  and efficiency. Their satisfaction often comes from being given the opportunity to serve the public, thus help enrich the lives of their fellow Filipinos.

For the whole month of September, the Civil Service Commission celebrates its 108th  anniversary with the theme “Republic Service—Kabalikat ng Bayan sa Panahon ng Paghamon.”

As the popular adage goes, “Public service is a public trust.” The Philippine Constitution devoted an entire article on public accountability of government functionaries, the essence of which is: “Public office is a public trust. Public officers and employees must at all times be accountable to people, serve them with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty and efficiency, act with patriotism and justice, lead modest lives, and uphold public interest over personal interest.”

Citizens expect public servants to serve the public interest with fairness and to manage public resources properly on a daily basis. Fair and reliable public services inspire public trust and create a favorable environment for businesses, thus contributing to well-functioning markets and economic growth.

A vital part of the service that government servants provide is the protection of the interest of the consumer, promotion of their general welfare, and the establishment of standards of conduct for business and industry as stated in Republic Act 7392, or the Consumer Act of the Philippines. 

The Consumer Act assigns jurisdiction with respect to the products involved to different concerned agencies that readily accept complaints arising from violations on consumer rights, and provide complete and correct information to the public.

With respect to cosmetics, drugs and dangerous substances, the Department of Health is responsible, while the Department of Agriculture is in charge of rice, corn, cooking oil, marine products, pork, beef and poultry meat, fresh vegetables and fruits, root crops, sugar, fertilizer (chemical and organic), pesticides, herbicides, etc.

Manufactured products, electrical gadgets  and canned goods are products under the jurisdiction of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

Other concerns of the DTI are product quality and safety; deceptive, unfair and unconscionable sales acts and practices; dishonest weights and measures; product and service warranties; price tag; accreditation of service and repair shops; and advertising and sales promotion, among others. Complaints are strived to be acted upon immediately by the DTI-NCR and various DTI field offices for the provinces and regions.

Even inquiries and complaints that are not within the department’s jurisdiction are entertained through the implementation of a “no-wrong door” mechanism, or the DTI Direct 751-3330.

“DTI Direct” provides fast, reliable and uniform customer support with just one number to call. The system was devised to save clients the time and frustration of being given the run-around by providing their needed information or assistance at the soonest time possible.

The call-center agents, who are regular employees of the DTI, get the facts/circumstances of the complaint, make a report, and endorse it to the agency concerned. At the same time, the caller will also be given the contact details and reference person of the appropriate agency which have the mandate to directly deal with the problem.

Nevertheless, here are some pointers that consumers may find useful when seeking solution to a complaint:

1) Identify the problem and what you believe would be a fair settlement. Do you want your money back (refund) or would you like it fixed (repair) or will exchange do (replace)?

2) Gather documentation (e.g., sales receipts, repair orders, warranties, canceled checks, or contract) which will support the complaint and help the company solve your problem.

3) Go back to where you made the purchase. Calmly and accurately explain the problem and the action you would like to be taken. A large percentage of consumer problems are resolved at this level.

4) If you are not satisfied with the response, write a formal letter of complaint to the consumer protection agency concerned. State your name and address; the name and address of the establishment against whom you are complaining; the circumstances regarding the complaint including names, dates, places, etc.

5) Enclose supporting documents to your complaint, such as official receipts, deed of sale and the like, and you should be prepared to make an appearance when called, especially during the mediation conference.

Civil servants remain committed to their sworn duty, especially in speeding up transactions and helping resolve consumer complaints effectively. They are the ones who desire a future where there is a high level of trust in the civil service and where it is a major pillar and institution of our democratic system.

In the future, through the support of the public, civil servants will be enjoying high morale, motivation and a sense of empowerment that they can contribute and make the civil service a living and learning institution. They have pride in their work and the nation, through its people, recognizes their worth and value. 

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Send your feedback and queries to konsyumeratbp@gmail.com. For in-depth information on consumer issues, listen to Konsyumer Atbp. every Saturday, 10:00-11:30 a.m. over  dzMM 630kHz. For consumer complaints, call the DTI Consumer Assistance Hotline 751-3330 or Text DTI<space>complaint and send to 2920 for Globe and Smart subscribers.

The Business of Consumers: Protecting welfare of consumers is a vital component of civil service

CIVIL servants belong to the nation’s unsung heroes as they do not always get tangible rewards or recognitions when they perform their sworn duty with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty  and efficiency. Their satisfaction often comes from being given the opportunity to serve the public, thus help enrich the lives of their fellow Filipinos.

The Business of Consumers: Preferential treatment as deserved by senior citizens in the country

OVER the past years, life expectancy has increased rapidly. In the 1950s a man was expected to live less than 70 years and a woman slightly more. Today life expectancy is more than 80 and rising.

The Business of Consumers: DTI to consumers: Look for PS and ICC marks to ensure quality, safety of LPG cylinders

STATISTICS show that substandard liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders are among the causes of fire incidents in the country.  From 2000 to July 2005, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) recorded a total of 51,295 fire incidents wherein 1,276 or 2.5 percent were LPG-related.

The Business of Consumers: Consumers have a right to seek remedy for defective products, unsatisfactory services

IN business and legal transactions, a warranty is a contract , whether express or implied, between the buyer and the seller, manufacturer, producer or distributor of a consumer product or service concerning the rights and obligations of both parties in a sale or lease transaction. 

The Business of Consumers: When sales acts are considered deceptive

LISTENERS of Konsyumer Atbp. have been asking about their right when it comes to deceptive, unfair and unconscionable sales acts or practices like retailers passing off secondhand goods as brand-new by using new packaging.

The Business of Consumers: Consumer protection when disaster strikes

IN a message sent to Konsyumer Atbp. through text, a listener inquires about her protection against sudden price increases, especially during periods of calamity.

The Business of Consumers: Disaster preparedness: Know what to do before a typhoon strikes

IN the Philippines an average of 20 typhoons hit annually, leaving a trail of deaths, injuries and damaged properties worth billions of pesos. Typhoons that have left their marks were Milenyo, Reming, Lando, Mina and only this week—Frank.

The Business of Consumers: Calling on all consumers to shift to cost-effective lights

HOWEVER or whichever way we put it, there is no denying that humans are affecting the planet through rampant energy consumption.

WITH the advent of electronic commerce (e-commerce) in the country, online shopping has slowly made its way to the Filipino buying culture. Today, more and more Internet-savvy consumers are stepping into “virtual retail outlets” to find a vast collection of products, ranging from the simple to novelty, or from cheap to classy.

IN a message sent to konsyumeratbp@gmail.com, a reader inquired about his right to return a defective product.

Mr. Rommel Adolfo bought a pair of rubber shoes at a shopping center in Metro Manila. He shelled out more than P4,000 to get an original, well-known brand that he thought could last for years or at least up to its recommended 350 miles to 550 miles of use.

IT”S school time again! Some may be a little sad that the end of summer is fast approaching, while others just can’t wait to go back to school and look forward to new things: social scenes, teachers, classmates and friends.

THE back-to-school season is a stressful time for consumers—there’s tuition to take care of, uniforms to order, budgeting for daily allowance, and school supplies to purchase.