Holiday shopping expected to be strong, says DTI

MANILA, Philippines - It will be a merrier Christmas for consumers and shop owners this holiday season, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said yesterday.

In a press conference during the Bagwis Awards held at the Development Bank of the Philippines, Trade Secretary Gregory L. Domingo said that given the good economy the shopping this Christmas season will be strong.

This was seconded by representatives from two big department stores – SM and Robinsons. SM Supermalls Shopping Center executive Anna Maria Garcia said that they are very optimistic on the prospects this Christmas season. Garcia said they expect sales to be better than last year’s performance. 

Likewise, Robinsons Land Corp. Property Management executive Thomas Lee O said that they expect this year’s Christmas season to be the same but they are hopeful that sales would be better than the previous year.

Domingo noted that the growth in Christmas shopping will be fueled by the strong remittance and the growth of the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) sector.

At the same time, Domingo said they will start monitoring the quality of Christmas lights within three weeks. Defective Christmas lights usually cause accidents and fires.

Meanwhile, the DTI signed a Memoradum of Agreement with SM Supermalls Shopping Center Corp. that will enlist the support and assistance of the retail giant in carrying/posting of consumer education and information materials in their outlets. The posters include: Price Tag Law; Surcharge on Credit Cards; Consumer Rights and Responsibilities; Product Quality and Safety; Product Return and Exchange; Product Repair, Replacement and Refund.

Finally, the DTI also signed a Memorandum of Agreement with Robinson Land Group to establish consumer welfare desks (CWDs) in all Robinsons Malls throughout the country.