COTABATO CITY–The Department of Trade and Industry – Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DTI-ARMM) launched here Tuesday its “E-Presyo” project, aimed at enabling consumers to monitor the prevailing prices of basic commodities in markets across the region.
A training-workshop on June 26 and 27 for DTA-ARMM employees on trade regulation and consumer protection supplemented the “E-Presyo” launching held at the Pagana conference facility in this city.
DTI-ARMM Assistant Secretary Abubacar Datumanong said participants were also oriented on Intellectual Property Rights and Trademark and Brand Development during the training program.
“The department aims to enhance the technical know-how of its employees, including those in its provincial offices, on the latest policies and laws on trade and industry,” Datumanong, said.
The “E-Presyo” is DTI’s online price monitoring system that allows consumers to check Suggested Retail Prices (SRPs), as well as the prevailing prices of prime and basic products.
However, Datumanong said E-Presyo does not include the monitoring of prices of agricultural and energy products, such as rice and gasoline, which are under the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF), the National Food Authority and the Department of Energy.
Through the “E-Presyo”, he said that consumers would be protected against unreasonable increases in prices, thus ensuring “value for money.”
Project E-Presyo is in accordance with Section 29 of RA No. 8792, otherwise known as the E-Commerce Act, which states that the DTI is empowered to promulgate rules and regulation in the area of electronic commerce to include the installation of online public information and price monitoring system aimed at protecting the interests of the consumers.
The “E-Presyo” data could be accessed through laptops, desktops computers, tablets, and mobile phones on DTI’s website. (Noel Punzalan/PNA)
