DTI puts priority on safety standards

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has elevated safety standards for consumer welfare among its top priorities, a ranking official said yesterday.

“The department is very much aware of its responsibilities not only for the interests of the Philippine business sector but also for the welfare of the consumers. That’s why the department has short and long term goals manifesting these priorities,” Trade Undersecretary Zenaida C. Maglaya explained.

“One of these goals is to further protect the buying public by assuring that there are standard requirements on the safety of products that they use every day,” she added.

The DTI’s Bureau of Product Standards (BPS) is the national body that develops, reviews, promulgates, implements and monitors the Philippine National Standards (PNS) on products and services. From its almost 7,000 PNS in its keep, the DTI-BPS declared 85 of these under mandatory certification. When a PNS is under mandatory certification, the product specified in the standard has safety concerns that could pose danger and harm to the health, property and life of an individual using it.

Such declaration undergoes careful deliberation among the concerned sectors such as other government offices, industry associations, academic institutions and professional and consumer organizations. There are stringent procedures observed and followed to ensure that the best interests of the consumers and businesses are considered, Maglaya said.

Earlier, the DTI announced that it is in the process of reviewing the BPS list of PNS for mandatory certification. Included in this PNS list are the standards specifications of electrical products, mechanical/ building and construction materials and chemicals and other consumer products.

“In every start of a leadership, it is best to verify the effectiveness and efficiency of programs that largely affect the society. This review is one of those checks and balances to make certain that effective and efficient programs are continued and those that are not are further improved,” she said.