THE number of consumer complaints processed by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Central Luzon has been increasing in the past three years.
According to the records of the agency, consumer complaints lodged with the provincial offices and regional office has risen from 582 in 2016 and 668 in 2017 to 769 in 2018.
The highest number of consumer complaints was recorded in DTI Bulacan with 161 complaints followed by Bataan with 143 and Zambales with 140. DTI Pampanga received 123 consumer complaints in 2018, while Nueva Ecija had 76 complaints. DTI Tarlac received 64 complaints while the DTI regional office had 57 complaints received. Aurora received five consumer complaints last year.
Cellphones remained the subject item of complaints with the most frequency in the past three years. For 2018, complaints about defects or issues related to purchased cellphones reached 105. The figure is less than the 2017 total of 110 complaints and the 2016 total of 130 cellphone related consumer complaints.
Among the top ten subjects of complaints in the region for 2018 are the television sets (66 complaints), air-conditioners (40), motorcycles (34), vehicles (31), refrigerators (29), laptops (21), OR and CR (17), washing machines (16), beauty products and tablets (nine each).
The DTI continues to remind buyers to be careful when buying consumer products and always look for the Philippine Standards mark for locally manufactured mandatory products and for Import Commodity Clearance mark for imported products.
The DTI also reminds consumers to contact the Consumer Hotline of DTI – 1-384 to report consumer concerns or provide feedback regarding their purchases. (PR)