MANILA — Laban Konsyumer, Inc. (LKI) welcomed several bills pending before Congress that seek the participation of private sector consumer advocacies in advancing the interests of the consuming public.
LKI founder and president Victorio Mario Dimagiba on Wednesday cited the proposed boards and councils in various bills, which all require representation from consumer groups.
These include the National Quality Infrastructure (NQI) Coordinating Council, Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Industry Monitoring and Inspection Committee, Working Group on Online Child Safety, Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) Crop, Food and Beverage Labeling Council, Drug Price Regulatory Board, and Inter-agency Committee on Tobacco Control.
“The voice of the consumers shall be heard by the government and include them in their initiatives and programs,” Dimagiba said in a text message.
“The representation of consumers in these councils acknowledges the rights of consumers,” he added.
LKI also expressed support to various bills filed by senators that would enhance consumer protection and broaden consumer rights.
These bills include Senate Bill (SB) 707 of Senator Paolo Benigno Aquino IV, institutionalizing the three pillars of Philippine NQI — standardization, testing, and metrology; SB 713 of Aquino and SB 413 Senator Loren Legarda, establishing a regulatory framework for safe operation of the LPG Industry; and SB 759 of Senator Francis Escudero, making it unlawful to charge higher prices for goods and services when they are purchased through credit cards rather than cash.
LKI is also in favor of Escudero’s SB 766, which ban supermarkets and food establishments from throwing away and spoiling unsold food; Senator Maria Lourdes Nancy Binay’s SB 1813, which prohibits the use of trans fatty acids in food facilities; and Senator Leila de Lima’s SB 1499, which requires advance warning and information on websites that might contain materials not suitable for children.
In the lower chamber, LKI backs the House Bill (HB) 3686 of Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and HB 5311 of Rep. Maximo Rodriguez Jr. on mandatory labeling of products containing GMO. (Kris Crismundo/PNA)
