MANILA — The Department of Trade and Industry’s Fair Trade Enforcement Bureau (FTI-FTEB) seized substandard and uncertified consumer products worth over P9.3 million in a raid in Plaridel, Bulacan on Wednesday afternoon.

The operation, led by the FTEB Task Force Kalasag, was prompted by consumer complaints and targeted two warehouses following a thorough validation process.

Atty. Fhilip D. Sawali, Director of DTI-FTEB, revealed that 656 pieces valued at P638,852 were confiscated in the first warehouse. A larger haul of 8,772 pieces, amounting to P8,707,998 retail value, was seized in the second warehouse.

This recent enforcement action follows a similar operation last week in Valenzuela City, resulting in the confiscation of uncertified products worth approximately P7.8 million. The total number of confiscated items amounted to over 11,700 pieces.

“Lumalabas po pareho sa Bulacan at pareho din po sa Valenzuela. Ito pong mga warehous na atin pong pinasok sa ilalim ng FTEB sa ilalim ng Task Force Kalasag sa utos ni Sec. Fred Pascual, lumalabas po na wala silang permiso [at] wala silang lisensya,” Sawali said.

He added that products, which lacked the Philippine Safety (PS) mark and Import Commodity Clearance (ICC), pose significant risks to consumers in terms of safety and quality. 

“Ano po ibig sabihin neto pag wala silang safety mark? Hindi po ligtas at hindi po dekalidad. So safety and quality po ang hinahabol natin dito. Nakakamura ang bumibili online. Nakakmura dahil imported, but ‘yun po ang resulta. Unsafe at walang kalidad na mga produkto,” said Sawali.

Sawali also revealed that in their recent raids in other areas, the distributors or warehouses operating in the area did not have the necessary business permits from the local government. Additionally, they discovered that these establishments were either owned or managed by foreign individuals.

DTI has intensified its campaign against substandard and uncertified products nationwide, targeting a wide range of items such as steel products and wires in different areas. Sawali emphasized the importance of sellers adhering to regulations to guarantee the safety and quality of essential products offered to the public.

“Mayroon pong department administrative order issuance ang DTI na may obligasyon hindi lang po ang manufacturer, ‘di lang ang importer, ‘di lang ang distributor pati po seller obligasyon mo na kapag ikaw ay nagtitinda o nag o-offer sa publiko ng isang produkto na mandatorily, ibig sabihin compulsarily, dapat ay lisensyado sertipikado ng DTI,” Sawali added.

The operation underscores DTI’s commitment to consumer protection and the rigorous enforcement of product standards to safeguard Filipino consumers from potentially hazardous products flooding the market.