VARIOUS products that were deemed non-compliant with safety and quality standards were destroyed by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on Friday, March 15.
Over 3,000 items worth P1.7 million were confiscated by DTI from previous monitoring and operations conducted in physical stores.
Confiscated products include helmets, sanitary wares, fireworks and firecrackers, monobloc chairs, and vapes.
These were seized for not having the Philippine Standard (PS) mark or Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) sticker, which means that the products did not go through or pass quality standards.
DTI Consumer Group Protection assistant secretary Amanda Nograles said products destroyed were from cases already decided on after the agency’s litigation.
“Wala tayong assurance na safe ito for our consumers. ‘Yong quality nito hindi sigurado. Halimbawa, ‘yong helmet hindi siya na-test kung safe siya for our motorcycle riders,” Nograles said.
Nograles also noted that vape products designed with cartoon characters should not be in the market so as not to entice consumers who are underaged.
“Itong mga vape products, ito ‘yong kay flavor descriptors, mga gumagamit ng cartoons and anime appealing to minors. Under the Vape Law, bawal ang vape products na targeted to minors,” Nograles said.
The DTI said it will continue monitoring products being sold not only in physical stores but also in online shops as an implementation of its mandate to protect consumer rights. (ABS-CBN News)
