Eight Associations of Barangay Captains or ABC have been empowered as consumers by the Department of Trade and Industry – Lanao del Norte Provincial Office for the period February to August this year, or an equivalent of more than a hundred empowered Barangay Captains in Iligan, Kauswagan, Bacolod, Maigo, Kolambugan, Baroy, Lala and Kapatagan.

The series of Barangay Awareness-Raising Campaign for Consumer Empowerment (BARCCE), which was held in collaboration with the above-mentioned local government units (LGUs), is in response to the statement of DTI Secretary Ramon M. Lopez with regard to the latest Pulse Asia Survey reflecting a 78% level of consumer awareness in 2016.

Secretary Lopez said, “The result should not be a source of complacency, but instead a motivation to improve even more our service to our consumers.”

Aside from augmenting the level of awareness on consumerism and empowering consumers in asserting their rights, BARCCE hopes to eliminate the traditional perception that when it comes to the price and supply of all basic necessities and prime commodities, and in protecting consumers as a whole, DTI is the only government agency to lean on to.

As one Barangay Captain has declared after the campaign, “Sir, I have a new meaning for DTI – Dili Tanan Inyoha.”

BARCCE likewise provides a venue to enjoin and mobilize LGUs in establishing consumer protection mechanism especially in the barangays.

Topics in BARCCE include the eight basic Consumer Rights and five Consumer Responsibilities, the salient features of the Consumer Act of the Philippines, the Price Act, Expanded Senior Citizens Act and the Magna Carta for Disabled Persons. Insights on Handling Complaints are taken as well.