ILOILO – Think thrice before buying car seats.
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in this province gave tips and advice for consumers rushing to stores following the implementation of The Child Safety in Motor Vehicles Act, or the Child Car Seat Law.
The directive made child restraint systems for child passengers mandatory in private vehicles to prevent untoward incidents.
According to Felisa Judith Degala, acting director of DTI-Iloilo, the public should always check label requirements indicated in the product’s manual as these must adhere to the standards set by the Consumer Act of the Philippines.
Buyers should likewise make sure the car seat manual contains the following information: name of the manufacturer or distributor and address of the manufacturer (if imported, it must indicate where the car seat was manufactured).
“Kun magbakal kamo, look at the manual sang child car seat kon naga-comply sa labeling requirements sang Consumers Act of the Philippines,” Degala told Panay News.
She said missing labels in the manual are among the red flags consumers must watch out.
Currently, the DTI could only keep watch on the car seat labels. The agency will start in July this year monitoring other mandatory requirements – the Philippine Standard (PS) Quality and/or Safety mark and the Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) sticker.
Philippine-manufactured car seats must have a PS mark while those made abroad are required to secure an ICC sticker.
Why not start monitoring these stickers now?
“[It’s] because gin-issue naton ang PNS (Philippine National Standards) last July 2020 lang. Nakabutang didto nga may one year pa sia nga transitory period, meaning tagaan ta chance ang mga manufacturers nga mag-produce sang products base sa PNS nga gin-issue sang DTI,” explained Degala.
“As of this time ara pa lang kita sa transitory period. Kon may ara produkto nga naga-comply sa mandatory certification, well and good. Pero indi pa gid mandatory kay sa July 2021 pa ina masugod,” she added.
CAR SEATS ‘OUT OF STOCK’
Now that the car seats for kids were ordered mandatory, a surge in demand was observed.
Based on DTI’s latest monitoring, major car dealers and retailers here bared the car seats are currently unavailable for immediate sale.
Degala shared they have phoned five major car dealers, but received the same reply: the items being out of stock.
“Actually natawgan na namon tanan nga car dealers kag wala gid sang stock or supply subong, even sa mga nagabaligya sang car accessories,” she said, adding that most car dealers are currently in search of suppliers.
BUYING FRENZY
A consumer has a say on the freshly-served order, too.
On Monday, Feb. 1, a mother of a one-year-and-a-month-old baby from Oton, Iloilo bustled with some other consumers in the city following the announcement.
Speaking to Panay News, Bea Mary Espino said the mall where she was able to purchase a car seat was swarmed with parents hoping to get one for their kids, too.
Around two to three in the afternoon, the products were out of stock. She added that some buyers opted to make reservations.
Espino, meanwhile, expressed her disapproval of the new directive.
“Kami sang husband ko, indi gid in favor because it will be an added cost on top of our monthly expenses,” she said.
“The timing of the implementation is definitely bad. With lots of families already burdened by job lay-offs, businesses losing and eventually closing down, still they prioritize the implementation of such law. What if you have three kids or more, and you only own a five-seater [car]?” she went on./PN
