A party-list group on Wednesday asked the next leadership of the House of Representatives to overhaul the 24-year-old Consumer Act of the Philippines.
Former Rep. Bernadette Herrera-Dy, first nominee of the Bagong Henerasyon Party-list, said the country needs a tougher consumer law to ensure public protection, rights and welfare.
Herrera-Dy said the government should immediately address the rampant violation of consumer rights, and the failure of government bodies to act on complaints against excesses and various abuses committed against buyers.
“Search for justice should be swift for a commuter refused a ride by choosy cabbies, a housewife who [had been] sold [with] expired food items or a senior citizen or person with disability denied lawful discounts on medicines,” the former lawmaker said in a news statement.
She added that quasi-judicial government agencies tasked to decide on complaints of consumers must ensure immediate resolution of the cases.
Herrera-Dy said stiffer penalties should be provided to deter violations of consumers rights, saying that’s why Republic Act 7394, or Consumers Act of the Philippines, should be revisited in the 17th Congress.
“Resolution of complaints have to be restricted to less than a week and decisions imposing penalties must be executed in less than 48 hours,” she said.
According to Herrera-Dy, many consumers with grievances shy away from filing complaints, because there is uncertainty and lack of urgency in resolving cases.
Herrera-Dy said among the most rampant violations of consumer rights are those committed by abusive cabbies against commuters.
“The truth in advertising provision of the law is also being openly violated, thus, consumers end up being given the raw deal,” said Herrera-Dy, former vice chairman of the House Committee on Social Welfare.