An official of a group of online sellers on Monday said registration to the E-Commerce Philippine Trustmark would benefit micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) once policies are clarified.

In a press briefing, Anna Magkawas, convenor of Online Negosyo Empowerment Community (ONEC), said they met with officials of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) last week to thresh out some issues regarding the voluntary registration to the Trustmark among online sellers until end-2025.

She expressed support to this measure but deemed the registration redundant to existing consumer laws and product standards since the documentary requirements are the same as those submitted to other government offices.

“With Trustmark voluntary [registration] only until December 31, the group urges that it be declared permanently voluntary, not required by platforms, aspirational, and private-sector-led, with government focusing instead on enforcing existing laws,” she said.

Magkawas is thankful that DTI officials accepted their suggestions and considered their position on the issue, and is hopeful that the meeting will have positive results.

She, however, cited the need to first address online selling scams, which the Trustmark, she said, is not expected to address since the scammers submit the same requirements as the legitimate ones.

“Online Negosyo remains committed to constructive dialogue with platforms, policymakers, and the E-Commerce Promotions Council to help build a fair, transparent, and corruption-free digital economy,” she said. (PNA)