The provincial government of Negros Oriental and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in the province will bring together around 15 or more national government agencies for the Institutionalization of ConsumerNet.
Krystle Jade Bato, DTI-Negros Oriental spokesperson, told the Philippine News Agency on Monday that the institutionalization of ConsumerNet will be done through an executive order to be issued by Governor Manuel Sagarbarria.
The activity is set on Wednesday at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas here, to coincide with the local kickoff of the nationwide Consumer Welfare Month 2025 in October, she said.
The gathering will also be a convention to strengthen the inter-agency mechanism to address consumer concerns, enhance consumer education, and ensure more effective redress mechanisms in the province.
“ConsumerNet has been around for the past two years, but there was no participation from the province and the DTI took the lead back then,” Bato said.
With the institutionalization of ConsumerNet, the public will now have better knowledge and access to the proper government agency or authority to attend to their concerns, she added.
ConsumerNet is a holistic approach and advocacy from the national government to the local government levels, as well as with the private sector, such as the Consumer Advocates, Inc., Bato said.
Committees will be created to cater to specific concerns, such as price stability, and on price regulation during calamities.
Almost all national government agencies with offices in the province are expected to be represented during the kick off activity of Consumer Month, which banners the theme “BIDA ang Konsyumer sa Bagong Pilipinas”. (PNA)