QUEZON CITY — True to its mandate to formulate and enforce laws to protect and promote consumer rights, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Consumer Protection Group (CPG), through the Consumer Policy and Advocacy Bureau (CPAB), spearheaded the Consumer Youth Forum on 30 March 2023 at the Victoria Sports Tower, Quezon City.
The CPAB, in collaboration with the Manuel L. Quezon University (MLQU) School of Law and the Asia Foundation, led the forum highlighting the importance of establishing a Law Clinic that can serve the community through competent and accessible legal assistance for consumers.
United States Ambassador, MaryKay L. Carlson, and the Director of the U.S. Department of State – Office of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, Kelia Cummins, visited the MLQU Law Clinic in action to ensure the effective implementation of a law clinic in protecting and enforcing consumer rights.
The program started with CPG’s Ms. Mary Denzyll R. Bunal, Atty. Ronald Viray and Ms. Elizabeth M. Carsula emphasizing policy advisories on consumer rights and responsibilities, deceptive sales acts, and complaints handling, respectively.
In the consultation meeting with the US Ambassador, some MLQU law student practitioners shared their experiences advocating consumer rights, and how the DTI helped them during their training. MLQU’s Clinical Legal Education Program (CLEP) Director, Atty. Galahad Pe Benito, also highlighted MLQU’s plan to further explore other areas of legal practice for the program, such as environmental law, and how it relates to their advocacy in championing consumer rights.
CPG Undersecretary, Atty. Ruth B. Castelo, recognized the collaboration efforts between the DTI and MLQU School of Law and provided DTI’s plans on a competent training ground for law student practitioners who would also want to engage in consumer protection. “The DTI looks forward to the continued support from the MLQU and the government of the United States of America on our existing cooperation initiatives such as the Expanded Dispute Resolution System, and hopes to extend the same for other DTI programs and advocacies for the Filipino consumer”, Undersecretary Castelo underscored.
MLQU Dean Emeritus and Former Chief Justice, Reynato S. Puno, emphasized the value of promoting consumer rights and how doing so benefits the nation’s economy. He also added that just like in other areas of the legal practice, the marginalized sectors are the ones who are most vulnerable when it comes to consumer protection.
For more information, visit the DTI website. For consumer-related concerns and queries, send an email to ConsumerCare@dti.gov.ph or call the One-DTI (1-384) Hotline. *
Date of release: 04 April 2023