The Department of Trade and Industry on Thursday launched the “Timbangan ng Bayan” project which aims to provide consumers with the means to verify the accuracy of weights and measures in public wet markets across the country, thus protecting them from unfair trade practices.
“This Timbangan ng Bayan facility will support lower-class municipalities and cities. We are targeting the fourth, fifth, and sixth-income class municipalities,” DTI Secretary Alfredo Pascual said during the MOU signing ceremony.
The project is a collaborative effort between DTI, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), and the Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC).
The Timbangan ng Bayan facilities will not only serve as a tool for consumers to verify weights but will also function as an information resource, educating consumers about their rights and responsibilities.
This information will be presented in local dialects to ensure accessibility and understanding at the grassroots level.
Consumer Protection Group (CPG) undersecretary Amanda Nograles said 630 analog weighing scales will be distributed in local government units in Metro Manila as a centralized property of every wet market.
“Just having this Timbangan ng Bayan in the market is already a deterrent against cheating,” she said.
The initiative is part of the DTI’s broader ALAGAng Konsyumer program, which focuses on consumer protection and empowerment.
