Mayor urges filing of charges vs scale cheats

ACTING Mayor Daniel Fariñas recently tasked the Baguio City Market Authority (BCMA) to file necessary charges against vendors using defective, tampered and uncalibrated weighing scales.

Upon suggestion of Councilor Erdolfo Balajadia, Fariñas said the destruction of some 360 defective, tampered, and uncalibrated weighing scales used by some vendors at the public market is not enough to end the continuing cycle of deceit being committed against consumers.

The acting mayor gave the orders to the BCMA Monday during the ceremonial clamping down of some 360 defective, tampered and non calibrated weighing scales at the City Hall grounds.

City Treasurer’s Office Local Revenue Collection officer Ponciano de Jesus said the tampered and defective weighing scales were confiscated in regular monitoring of the City Treasurer’s office of market weighing scales to ensure consumer protection.

De Jesus said they have been conducting twice a year Consumer Protection Program to protect market goers from unscrupulous vendors using tampered and defective scales.

He added that they have been confiscating the defective and tampered scales but violators continue buying new weighing scales and start the cycle of cheating all over again.

With the new directive from the acting mayor, De Jesus said they will file appropriate charges against violators of the City Tax Ordinance 2000-001 without any let-up this time to ensure that all consumers are safeguarded from weighing scale cheats.

He also advised vendors to replace their weighing scales at least every six months to a year as calibration of equipment wear down after daily use.