The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will keep its e-commerce trust mark voluntary until the end of the year as it continues to assess concerns from online sellers and consumers, according to Secretary Ma. Cristina Roque.
Roque said manufacturers urged the DTI to retain the voluntary status, arguing that the accreditation requirements are similar to existing compliance standards.
“They’ll always claim that the trust mark will not really make a difference because the requirements are the same. But like FDA approvals, people still prefer products that carry the proper certifications,” Roque said.
She said the DTI needed more time to fully evaluate the impact on consumers, who have increasingly complained about fraudulent items on major platforms.
“There should be a win-win for both. The consumers are the ones telling us we need to stop these sellers from actually selling fraudulent items,” Roque said.
The DTI has tracked numerous bogus products online and will intensify enforcement against violators, Roque confirmed.
Roque is set to meet with major e-commerce companies this week to discuss enforcement issues and the newly imposed P5 transaction fee, which merchants say was introduced without consultation.
The DTI aims to issue a final decision by the end of the year on whether the trust mark would remain voluntary or become mandatory. Legal implications, including potential amendments to the Internet Transactions Act, are still under review.
“For now, let’s leave it at voluntary. We just want sellers to see the need for the trust mark and for consumers to trust it,” Roque said, adding the DTI would provide updates before year-end, including on export performance.
