The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) clarified that the mandatory E-Commerce Philippine Trustmark badge for small businesses selling online is free, at least for the first year of implementation.

In July, the DTI launched the E-Commerce Philippine Trustmark to serve as a digital badge issued to online businesses that comply with fair e-commerce practices, initially on a voluntary basis.

However, under Department Administrative Order No. 25-12 released this month, the DTI made it mandatory, also serving as the permit for e-commerce merchants and online platforms to conduct business online. The policy drew negative feedback from business owners, especially MSMEs.

The trust mark processing and application fee is P1,100, and the deadline set by the DTI is 30 September 2025.

“So, to all the MSMEs, take advantage of this, what the DTI is giving them, that the registration to get the trust mark is free. So, they can actually go to the DTI, or they can go to the different Negosyo Centers, and they can coordinate with DTI to make sure that they get the trust mark,” said Trade Secretary Cristina Roque during a press conference at the DTI office in Makati City on Friday.

Further, she said they are considering extending the 30 September deadline, adding that they are mulling lowering the trust mark’s application fee for MSMEs.

“We will be looking into the fees and the possibility of bracketing. But what I can say now is that for those who have applied and paid for the trust mark, there will be consideration for them if in case we release new regulations on the trust mark, especially on the period or the payment, or the validity,” said Assistant Secretary Marcus Valdez II, director of the Consumer Policy and Advocacy Bureau of the DTI.

Roque maintained that the trust mark is important to ensure that online merchants are legitimate sellers, as complaints involving online sellers have piled up in recent months.

"Our goal is not to burden businesses but to protect the businesses and to actually separate them from those that are really into the fraud business. Because on the e-commerce platform, we can't say that 100 percent of them are legit. I'm sure you've heard a lot of complaints also regarding items or baka nabiktiman na rin kayo ng mga items being sold in the e-commerce platform," Roque said.

“So, a legitimate business is actually a formula for success. Let's become a legitimate seller on the e-commerce platform and be responsible for what we sell so that the consumers will actually buy the products that they deserve,” she added.

As of 8 September, the DTI has issued the trust mark to Shopee, TikTok Shop, Lalamove, LG, Asahi, Midea, Carrier, and Billease, among others.

MSME opposition

The mandatory trust mark recently drew criticism from online merchants, with one netizen saying “the DTI makes online sellers milking cows,” while another claimed “merchants are actually victims of scammer buyers, with the DTI not responding to their complaints.”

The Philippine digital economy has expanded since the COVID-19 pandemic made online selling a lifeline for shuttered businesses in 2020.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the country’s digital economy contributed P2.25 trillion to gross domestic product in 2024, accounting for 8.24 percent of GDP, a 7.5 percent increase from 2023.

The E-Commerce Philippine Trustmark is a digital badge issued by the DTI E-Commerce Bureau (ECB), pursuant to Republic Act No. 11967 (RA 11967), or the Internet Transactions Act of 2023, serving as a mark of recognition for online merchants and platforms that demonstrate a commitment to trustworthiness, safety, and adherence to fair e-commerce practices.

Grounded in the policy principles of both RA 11967 and Republic Act No. 7394, or the Consumer Act of the Philippines, the Trustmark aims to create a digital commerce environment built on integrity, accountability, and consumer and merchant protection.