E-commerce bill pushed

MANILA, Philippines - As the local retail scene has taken an exciting new direction via the further development of e-commerce, Alay Buhay party-list Rep. Weslie Gatchalian has filed House Bill 2535, which seeks to protect the growing number of Filipino Internet users as they acquire the e-commerce habit.

With at least 33.6 million Filipinos currently logged into the Internet based on a Nielsen study, a significant chunk of these netizens have started to enthusiastically engage in e-commerce.

Gatchalian said, “The Internet has brought with it many forms of businesses and new forms of marketing such as e-commerce or online shopping and social media.” 

Gatchalian cited various online shopping portals that have grown in popularity among local consumers like “ayosdito.com,” “sulit.com,” “philshopping.com,” “lazada.com,” “pinoytiangge.com,” and “ebay.ph” which he foresees will eventually become like international e-commerce sites.

Thus this early Gatchalian hopes this bill in place would fill in the gap, protecting the rights of both consumers and merchants and in effect, strengthening the growing e-commerce industry.

In a country where online commerce is still in its infancy stage, it is of utmost importance to impose rules and regulations on the e-commerce industry as it continues to gain a wider following.

Gatchalian said, “The bill seeks to address concerns on state regulations on the industry, payment options and secrecy of data obtained from consumers, more transparency from traders by eliminating hidden transaction costs, delivery problems, cancellation of orders, refund against cancellation, and payment issues, to name a few.”

He added: “The bill is certainly not a perfect one, other areas of concern might not have been addressed yet, but we cannot afford not to bring order to our lives, and this bill is an effort to craft a law that will foster a smooth functioning social order on online commerce and trading.”

Gatchalian is seeking the urgent approval of his bill, as he foresees it to be something that Filipinos will greatly benefit from not just today but in the years to come as the industry grows in leaps and bounds.