The Department of Justice has ruled that the appeals process for consumer complaints handled by the Department of Trade and Industry is not covered by the processing time limits mandated by the Anti-Red Tape Act.

In a legal opinion dated 23 October 2025 and addressed to the DTI, Justice Acting Secretary Fredderick Vida said the department’s task of hearing and deciding on consumer appeals constitutes a “quasi-judicial function,” and therefore falls outside the scope of Republic Act 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act.

The opinion was issued in response to an inquiry from DTI Assistant Secretary Englebert Josef Chua, who sought clarification on whether ARTA had jurisdiction over the department’s internal appeals process for consumer cases.

The DOJ explained that ARTA’s mandate applies specifically to “frontline services” such as the issuance of licenses, permits and certifications. Quasi-judicial functions — which involve investigating facts, conducting hearings and issuing binding decisions on the rights of parties — are not classified as frontline services.

The department added, “This clearly qualifies as a quasi-judicial function,” citing Supreme Court precedents that recognize the DTI’s adjudicatory authority in resolving administrative complaints.

As a result, the DOJ emphasized that “ARTA does not have any jurisdiction or supervisory authority over the internal quasi-judicial and appellate processes of the DTI” and cannot impose its prescribed processing timelines on these proceedings.

The ruling provides clarity for the DTI as it reviews its internal procedures, confirming that consumer complaint and appeals cases will continue to be governed by the Consumer Act rather than the time-bound requirements of ARTA.