DTI Davao, SM form front for consumers

DTI 11 Regional Director Maria Belenda Ambi and Assistant Regional Director Delia Ayano show partnership pact with SM Supermalls in Davao City for the promotion of consumer welfare. / Photograph courtesy of DTI.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Davao City, through its Consumer Protection Division, has inked a pact with SM Supermalls in strengthening its consumer advocacy program.

On 30 July, the agency and the retail giant signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for their partnership in the “Konsyumer, Sagot Kita!” program that aims to disseminate information materials from 1 August 2021 to 31 July 2022.

DTI 11 Regional Director Maria Belenda Ambi showed optimism about the project, especially after getting the support of SM Supermalls, which has two branches in Davao City.

“It has been our commitment to continuously empower consumers. By partnering with SM Supermalls, we will surely widen the reach of these informational materials,” the DTI official said, adding that the partnership is seen to intensify its advocacy on educating and protecting the consumers.

Under the MoU, the DTI 11 will provide various information kits to be posted by SM Supermalls on their company’s official Facebook accounts.

Meanwhile, DTI 11 will assist them by regularly educating employees and tenants on the rules and regulations affecting consumer rights and responsibilities, and other related Fair Trade Laws governing local business operations.

Interactive schemes eyed
Both parties are hopeful that this campaign can be innovated in the future to have an interactive way of reaching consumers despite the pandemic.

Ambi expressed gratitude to SM Supermalls for accepting the partnership with DTI 11 and for the commitment to help the agency in promoting consumer awareness.

“Even in this time of the pandemic, we still need to intensify our consumer awareness program and empower consumers on their rights and responsibilities. Thus, we are intensifying our information campaign through the use of online platforms to reach more consumers,” she said.

Source: Tribune