The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is highly committed to working on a complaint within prescribed time pursuant to the Department Administrative Order (DAO) No. 13-02, Series of 2013 which states that resolution of complaints falling under the DTI’s jurisdiction shall not exceed 10 working days by Mediation and 20 working days by Adjudication.

As of first quarter this year, the DTI already has a 98% resolution rate of consumer complaints nationwide. DTI received 2,825 complaints, 1,444 of the total complaints received were resolved through mediation and adjudication, 416 complaints were endorsed to other DTI offices and other government agencies because those complaints did not fall under the DTI’s jurisdiction, 56 complaints are still on process while 899 complaints were archived due to lack of information provided on the respondent and dismissed due to consumer’s lack of interest on his complaint.

The DTI-Fair Trade Enforcement Bureau (FTEB) accounts for the 76% of the total complaints received nationwide. FTEB accomplished 96.48% resolution rate which increased by almost 8% from same time last year due to its implementation of alternative mode of mediation (e.g. teleconference) since January 2017.

Nature of Most Common Consumer Complaints received and processed are as follows:

• Liability for Product and Services – 910
• Deceptive, Unfair and Unconscionable Sales Acts/Practices – 884
• Misleading Advertisement and Fraudulent Sales Promotion Practices – 98
• Other Non-DTI jurisdiction – Total of 445
  • Poor Internet Connection
  • Poor Customer Service

Further, under the consumer rights and responsibilities’ right to redress, the consumer has the right to be compensated for misinterpretation, shoddy goods or unsatisfactorily services. Complaints on consumer rights violation can be filed to ftebmediation@dti.gov.ph or call DTI Direct 751.3330 or FTEB-Mediation Division (+632) 975.7965.