Duterte urges protection of consumers from online scammers

President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday called for the protection of consumers from online scammers, urging the government to run after individuals who abuse the people's right to data privacy.

During his fifth State of the Nation Address, Duterte directed the Department of Trade and Industry to "ensure the empowerment of Filipinos on consumer rights and coordinate strategies between public and private organizations in building a fair, safe, resilient and sustainable economy."

He acknowledged that while there are major developments in the sector of commerce and industry, there are economic activities that have "meager regulatory controls."

"They expose consumers to various risks related to security, data, privacy and misrepresentation. We must patrol the country's cyberspace and enforce online consumer and data protection and privacy laws," Duterte said.

"We must run after online scammers and those undermining the people's trust on online transactions. We must continue to protect Filipinos in the new normal and remind the world that they are responsible stewards of data. I am committed to protect both physical and digital lives of our law-abiding countrymen," he added.

Duterte earlier advised the public to be careful in buying online, especially face masks.

"Wag kayong bumili ng mga online-online na lalo na magpadala ka ng pera, I’d like to address this to everybody. Ang iyo dyan is, i-deliver mo, tapos tignan mo yung maskara, kung hindi sangayon sa inorder mo, papasukin mo sa loob ‘yung nagdala ng mask, talian mo,” he said in a taped speech aired on Friday.

"Kung ako, iyan ang gawin ko sa inyo: talian ko iyong paa ninyo, pati kamay ninyo, saksakan ko iyong bunganga ninyo ng medyas niyong mabaho, limang araw na walang laba. Tapos talian ko ng panyo. Ihulog kita sa Pasig [River]," he added.

Duterte likewise asked the public not to patronize businesses that use his name. — BM, GMA News