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DTI moves to stop overpricing of school supplies


Anticipating a higher demand for school supplies before the new school year begins, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on Tuesday said it will step up efforts to prevent the overpricing of such goods. In a statement, DTI Secretary Gregory Domingo said the department will check the raw materials prices to evaluate the prevailing retail prices of notebooks, school pads, and other school materials. Domingo added that the DTI will meet with manufacturers, importers, and retailers of school supplies to assure quality, reasonable price, and sufficient supplies of school materials for the coming school year. “DTI will also step up its monitoring activities for school supplies not only to check on prices but also to ensure compliance of manufacturers and importers with specific quality standards and labeling requirements," DTI Undersecretary Zenaida Maglaya added. “Once again, DTI reminds parents to not only look for affordable school supplies but also to carefully check the labels of school supplies they purchase so as to ensure safe and reliable products for the welfare of their children," Maglaya said. Maglaya emphasized the importance of product labels "to guide consumers in choosing affordable, safe, and reliable school supplies that are worth their money." The guidelines Maglaya supplied include the following:

  • For crayons, products must be classified as either jumbo or regular, should not break or bend easily due to pressure or high temperature, and must be labeled "non-toxic."
  • Notebooks and pads of paper must indicate information on weight (in grams) and number of leaves.
  • Lead pencils must include a symbol or number for hardness.
  • Ballpoint pens must be classified according to tips.
  • For all products the required markings should include the manufacturer’s name and address, trade or brand name, type or size, country of manufacture, quantity, toxicity warning, and instructions for use.
Maglaya warned, “Nonconformance of manufacturers, importers and retailers to the standard and labeling requirements is a violation of the Republic Act 7394 or Consumer Act of the Philippines and the Standards Law." "Those found not complying with the said standards shall face administrative charges, which include a maximum fine of P300,000 per violation," she added. — PE/VS, GMA News
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