by Christia Marie Ramos, Philippine Daily Inquirer, 3 Sep 2020
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has seen a 4,000-percent increase in the number of registered online businesses during the six-month lockdown enforced by the government to curb the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19).
During a Senate committee hearing into the proposed Internet Transactions Act on Thursday, DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez said there has been a “substantial” rise in online businesses in the country.
After the government imposed lockdowns, Lopez said the number of online businesses registered with the DTI jumped by 73,276 from March 16 to August 31.
“We now have a total of 75,029 online businesses registered,” he said. “This is over a 4,000-percent increase.”
Prior to the declaration of a state of national emergency due to the coronavirus pandemic, Lopez said there were only 1,753 online businesses that were registered with the DTI from January 1 to March 15.
Rise in complaints
Lopez also said the DTI recorded a rise in complaints involving online transactions.
“While we see a huge jump in business names registered, our regulatory arm, our consumer’s protection group, likewise, saw a significant rise in the number of consumer complaints,” he said.
“Due to the difficult movement, consumers heavily relied on online shopping,” he added.
According to Lopez, the number of complaints involving online transactions jumped to 12,630 as of August 31 of this year.
This, from a total of 2,457 complaints filed in 2019, he noted.
“The quadruple increase of this is attributed to the surge of online transactions due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” the DTI chief said.
“The highest number of complaints, 8,000, were during the months of April and May when the strictest level of community quarantine was in effect in major areas in the country,” he added.
World Day for Safety and Health at Work
“Safety and health at work every day!”
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar to carry out the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry recommendations against serious violations of Forced Labour and Freedom of Association protocols.
Accept National Unity Government
(NUG) of Myanmar.
Reject Military!
#WearMask #WashHands #Distancing #TakePicturesVideos
Monthly Observances:
March – Women’s Role in History Month
April – Month of Planet Earth
Weekly Observances:
Last Week of March: Protection and Gender Fair Treatment of the Girl Child Week
Last Week of April – World Immunization Week
Daily Observances:
Mar 25 – International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transallantic Slave Trade
Mar 27– Earth Hour
Apr 21 – Civil Service Day
Apr 22 – World Earth Day
Apr 28 – World Day for Safety and Health at Work
