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Government called on to tackle rights of consumers

BAGUIO CITY (Oct. 5) — The Promotion of Consumers’ Social and Economic Rights (PRO-CONSUMER) called on the government to address the social and economic welfare of consumers to mark October as Consumers’ Welfare Month.

In a press conference this week, Geraldine Cacho of ORNUS (Organisasyon dagiti Nakurapay nga Umili ti Siyudad) said that the buying power of consumers drastically diminished due to continuing price increases in social services and basic commodities. ORNUS is one of the member organizations of PRO-CONSUMER.

Cacho explained that consumers cannot afford to purchase their basic needs due to the scarcity of decent pay and secure jobs. She added that mass lay-offs in factories, mines and other industries resulted in increase in unemployment and underemployment in the Cordillera region. “Most of these retrenched workers are here in the city taking chances with odd jobs”, she said.

Cacho cited that in Baguio, members of the urban poor community survive as sidewalk vendors who are in turn driven off the city sidewalks and parks by the city demolition team. This happens almost everyday since the city government prohibits such. In this regard, Cacho stressed that the problem on illegal vending and peddling will not end until the government provides decent and secure jobs for the urban poor.

Trade liberalization

The urban poor leader said that the influx of imported goods due to trade liberalization killed the local and traditional crafts in the city. She cited the traditional weaving industry in the region that lost its market due to cheaper, imported counterparts.

Cacho also slammed the new taxation scheme proposed by the Arroyo administration as it would mean “additional burden to the poor majority”. She further stated that contrary to government’s claims that only big, private enterprises will be affected by the said new tax scheme, it is the end consumers who will pay for the bulk of the said proposed taxes.

Meanwhile, PRO-CONSUMER convenor and Tongtongan ti Umili (TTU) Secretary General Chie Galvez criticized Republic Act 7394 or Consumers Act of the Philippines. Galvez mentioned the need to include in its provisions the accessibility of basic social services to the consumers.

Considering the country’s economic situation, Galvez said the government’s approach to consumer rights and welfare should be adapted to such situation, such as securing the economic status of its people by providing permanent and good paying jobs. # Kim N. Quitasol for Nordis

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