DTI’s ‘Project ET’ to monitor, enforce fair trade laws outside NCR

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will strengthen its monitoring and enforcement of Fair Trade Laws outside the National Capital Region in response to uncertified and substandard products' being diverted to other regions.

"Yung ating mga uncertified, mga substandard na produkto at iba pa... kumbaga nada-divert ito sa ibang regions natin. Nagkakaroon ng diversions lalo na doon sa mga regions na mayroon silang pork: Region 7, Region 4, Region 1, Region 10 and 11," Fair Trade Enforcement Bureau (FTEB) Officer-in-charge Ferdinand Manfoste said during a press briefing.

Manfoste said that Project Execution Team, or Project ET, will seek to resolve regulation and consumer welfare shortcomings in regions outside Metro Manila.

"Gusto nating i-intensify ang implementation ng Free Trade Law and Consumer Act to further safeguard the life, safety and health of the public consumer in the regions," he said.

Manfoste said the DTI will target entities that cheat when it comes to products' price, label, weight and quality.

"Ito ay tumitingin sa PLTK [Presyo, Labeling, Timbang at Kalidad]... Ang DTI laban sa maling presyo, maling labelling, maling timbang at maling kalidad," he said.

He added that Project ET would strengthen and enhance the teamwork between the consumer protection group and the regional protection group, and likened the project to the anti-illegal drug operations "Oplan Tokhang."

"Sabi nga ng ating kalihim si Secretary Mon [Lopez], parang Tokhang type yung magiging dimension nitong enforcement and monitoring natin in terms of pagpapatupad ng fair trade laws," Manfoste said.

Consumer Protection Group Undersecretary Teodoro Pascua said P18 million has been augmented for Project ET in 2017.

Project ET will be officially launched on Tuesday, June 27 at SM Megamall. The signing of a memorandum of agreement between the DTI, the Philippine National Police's Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and other partner agencies will be held as well.

The DTI will also conduct a pre-monitoring activity on June 22 in certain malls which had not been earlier disclosed in order to pilot-test the project. — BM, GMA News