CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Cellphone-related consumer complaints in the region significantly decreased in the first quarter of 2019, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Central Visayas said.
Based on the agency’s data, a total of 24 cellphone-related complaints were recorded for mediation from January to March this year, as compared to 35 complaints received in the first quarter of 2018.
The total number of consumer complaints received by DTI-Central Visayas regional and provincial offices in the first quarter of 2019 was 171, which is also significantly lower than the 201 complaints received for mediation for the same period last year.
Compared to the first quarter of 2018 and the first quarter of 2019, there were increases in the number of consumer complaints related to television, increasing from 14 in 2018 to 18 in 2019, while motorcycle-related complaints increase from seven to 12, and vehicles from 8 to 9.
However, complaints related to airconditioner decreased from 8 to 4; washing machines from 4 to 2; e-bike from 6 to zero; and laptops from 8 to 5.
DTI Bulacan received the most number of consumer complaints with 42, while Zambales had 39 and Pampanga, 26.
DTI Tarlac received 22 consumer complaints in the first quarter, while Bataan had 21 and Nueva processed 18 complaints. The DTI Regional Office received two complaints, while DTI Aurora logged only one complaint for the first quarter of 2019.
As provided for in Republic Act 7394 or the Consumer Act of the Philippines, the nature of consumer complaints received by DTI include Price Tag, Deceptive, Unfair and unconscionable acts, Consumer Products and Service Warranties, Use of Metric System, Liability for Products and Services, Consumer Credit Transactions, Product Quality and Safety, False Advertisement and Sales Promotion related issues.