Senator Alan Peter Cayetano lauded the committee’s approval of the Enhanced Consumer Act of the Philippines which empowers consumers to better understand their protections and obligations when using goods and services responsibly.
The measure, a crucial update to the country’s consumer protection framework that clarifies consumer rights and responsibilities in the digital age, was filed as Senate Bill No. 2986 under Committee Report No. 529.
“More than 30 years na [since the Consumer Act was enacted into law]. [Outdated na kasi] noong 1992, halos wala pang e-commerce noon,” Cayetano, chair of the Senate Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship, said.
The veteran legislator backed the initiative to help the country keep pace with modern commerce, addressing emerging issues in the bill such as online scams, counterfeit products, and deceptive advertising.
“It’s important that we use the Senate floor [to emphasize] na may consequences ang unfair practices na ito.”
“It’s important that we use the Senate floor [to emphasize] na may consequences ang unfair practices na ito,” the seasoned lawmaker said during the bill’s deliberations.
The Enhanced Consumer Act introduces several key provisions for better consumer protection, including standardized product labeling with clear best-before and expiry dates which will help consumers make informed choices and reduce the risk of consuming expired goods.
Additionally, the bill strengthens protections against fraud and unfair trade practices by clearly defining illegal schemes such as pyramid and Ponzi schemes, telemarketing fraud, and technology-based scams.
“These updates aim to better safeguard consumers in an increasingly complex marketplace.”
The senator said these updates aim to better safeguard consumers in an increasingly complex marketplace.
“This isn’t a cure-all, but let’s try to address these problems comprehensively because all of these are problems for our consumers,” he concluded.
