Subic Bay Freeport — The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Zambales held the culminating activity for the Consumer Welfare Month at Harbor Point Ayala Mall on 23 October 2025.

According to OIC-DC Neil John Fabay of the Consumer Protection Division, this year’s Consumer Welfare Month theme, “Bida ang Konsyumer sa Bagong Pilipinas,” highlights the indispensable role of every Filipino consumer in shaping a progressive economy and fair marketplace.

“The CWM aligns with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s vision to empower and protect consumers. The celebration underscores the government’s united commitment to strengthening consumer rights, promoting informed choices, and fostering a culture of accountability and shared prosperity,” Fabay said.

The culminating activity featured a Spoken Poetry Contest, followed by the awarding of winners from both the Spoken Poetry Contest and the Creative Digital Poster Challenge in the afternoon.

DTI Zambales also launched several initiatives, including the Digital Module titled Consumer Advocacy in the Digital World, Trade Talks under the theme Kasangga, Ka-Negosyo, Ka-Konsyumer, and the CashCycled Project titled Turn Your Plastics into Projects.

Fabay reported that the Consumer Protection Division accomplished several enforcement activities under the Fair Trade Laws Monitoring and Enforcement program. These included monitoring 128 firms, issuing notices of violation to five firms, penalizing four firms, handling one ongoing case, and imposing a total of P147,500 in administrative fines.

For the Ikot Palengke Monitoring and Enforcement, 36 activities were conducted, monitoring 4,376 stalls, confiscating 154 defective weighing scales, and seizing 138 unregistered weighing scales.

Under the Consumer Complaints Handling Report, the division received and acted on 62 consumer complaints — 22 were resolved, seven were issued certificates to file action, 19 were withdrawn, and 13 were endorsed to other agencies.

The nature of the complaints included five cases of product or service warranty breach, 45 deceptive sales acts and practices, 10 cases of product or service imperfection liability, and two cases of unfair or unconscionable sales acts.

Meanwhile, the Business Development Division (BDD) of DTI Zambales reported hosting the Likha ng Central Luzon fair at SM Megamall in Mandaluyong on 15–19 October 2025, which generated sales revenue of P2,571,095.

For the One Town, One Product (OTOP) program, 23 MSMEs were enrolled. Two capability trainings were conducted: Product Packaging and Labelling and Effective Negotiation and Selling Techniques Seminar for 50 participants in Castillejos, Zambales, on 29 September 2025.

The second capability training, IPO Orientation and Visual Merchandising Seminar, was held in Botolan, Zambales, on 6 October 2025, with 45 participants.

The BDD also conducted the Young Entrepreneurship Program for 18 participants in Botolan, Zambales, from 4 to 8 August 2025.