The Department of Trade and Industry cut its backlog of consumer complaints by more than half after a nationwide mediation marathon to accelerate the resolution of pending cases.
From Feb. 23 to 27, the DTI Fair Trade Group and the Regional Operations Group mobilized mediation officers from regional offices to facilitate the resolution of consumer complaints. The exercise was supported by the Conflict Resolution Group Foundation.
By the end of the exercise, pending complaints dropped to 573 from the 1,236 cases recorded as of Dec. 31, 2025. The remaining cases are currently undergoing mediation.
Most resolved complaints involved consumer product services and warranties, product quality and safety, and sales promotions — issues that often affect consumers seeking refunds, product replacements or warranty claims.
To further improve the handling of digital consumer cases, the DTI also convened representatives from major e-commerce platforms Shopee, Lazada and Foodpanda to strengthen coordination in resolving complaints linked to online transactions.
During the dialogue, the platforms committed to reinforcing internal teams, expanding operational capacity and expediting the settlement of pending consumer claims.
