THE House of Representatives passed the bill which seeks to provide the creation of a Timbangan ng Bayan Center in all public and private markets nationwide.
House Bill 7857, principally authored by Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, was approved on second reading during the plenary session this week.
Arroyo said the establishment of Timbangan ng Bayan Centers will provide the buying public with an effective means of checking the accuracy of the weight and the quantity of the goods that they are buying.
Arroyo said it will also discourage dishonest vendors to commit any irregularity because of the imminence of getting caught in flagrante delicto.
The bill seeks to protect the public against fraudulent practices relative to the use of weighing instruments in public and private markets.
Under the bill, the instruments for determining weights and measures shall be open for and accessible to anyone who needs to verify the accuracy of the quantity and measurement of the products they purchase.?
The prohibited acts relative to weights and measure under Republic Act No. 7394, otherwise known as the “Consumer Act of the Philippines,” shall likewise apply to Timbangan ng Bayan instruments.
Other authors of the bill include Reps. Estrellita Suansing (1st District, Nueva Ecija), Leo Rafael Cueva (2nd District, Negros Occidental), Ferjenel Biron M.D. (4th District, Iloilo), Karlo Alexei Nograles (1st District, Davao City), Manuel Zubiri (3rd District, Bukidnon), and Rosanna Vergara (3rdDistrict, Nueva Ecija). (Keith Calayag/SunStar Philippines)