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Thursday, August 31, 2006
DTI inspects Cebu’s public markets for fair trade practices, sanitation, quality of goods
Of the 56 public markets in Cebu Province, only 12 have, so far, complied with standards set by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) under a program that aims to ensure consumer safety, quality of goods and fair trade.
DTI Cebu Provincial Director Nelia Navarro said the 12 have passed the evaluation of the project selection team that inspected public markets in the province.
Navarro made the announcement during a Philippine Information Agency Kapihan yesterday at the DTI Cebu office but did not reveal the exact location of the 12 markets.
Not complete
She said of the 12, three are in the first, one from the fourth and three from the fifth congressional districts in Cebu.
As the selection team is yet to complete the inspection of public markets in the province, DTI could not determine yet if public markets in Metro Cebu had passed standards, as well.
The project selection team is headed by the DTI and composed of representatives from the Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Interior and Local Government, PIA and the Mandaue City Ladies Consumer Organization.
The inspection is part of the DTI’s Pamilihan ng Lalawigan, a project under the Bantay Bilihin Program, which “focuses more on how the market protects consumers,” said Zaide Bation, chief of the trade and regulations division of the DTI 7.
“The market is the central pulse of the economy, and we are looking at the market to incorporate consumer protection,” Bation said at the Kapihan.
Navarro said market visits in the past revealed that among the common concerns raised by consumers were defective or old weighing scale, ambulant vendors who tend to be too forceful, price haggling, limited parking space and lack of maintenance of market surroundings.
“The cleanliness of the markets in Cebu have not met A1 standards,” she said. But she added that, this time, she is optimistic that some public markets in Cebu will win national recognition under the Bantay Bilihin Program.
“We are pushing to make Cebu’s public markets as models, to encourage others in the region,” said Marina Viniegas, DA provincial agricultural technical assistant.
The Bantay Bilihin Program aims to recognize public markets that comply with fair trade laws, have consumer redress mechanisms, good organizational support and well-managed market conditions, such as clean surroundings, garbage disposal, comfort rooms and water availability.
DA program
The nationwide search is in line with the Consumer Welfare Month celebration in October.
According to Geraldine Franza, DA 7 agribusiness and marketing assistance division chief, the department also launched a nationwide program similar to DTI’s.
However, Huwarang Palengke, the DA’s nationwide search for a “model market” gives more weight on public market structure and its compliance to cleanliness.
Franza said one out of the five winners of Huwarang Palengke last year was Pardo Public Market. (MMM)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (August 31, 2006 issue)
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