House panel OKs budgetary provisions for 'Timbangan ng Bayan Center' bill

The House committee on appropriations has approved the budgetary provisions of a measure seeking to establish a Timbangan ng Bayan Center in all markets across the country, as well as promote honesty in the marketplace.

The House panel, chaired by Davao City Representative Karlo Nograles, approved the currently unnumbered substitute bill to House Bill 2957, also known as "An Act for the establishment of a Timbangan ng Bayan Center in all markets nationwide," which seeks to amend Chapter II of Republic Act 7394 or Consumer Act of the Philippines.

"This measure seeks to further improve the protection of consumers by the state. The Consumer Act has been in effect for almost 26 years now, so some of its provisions need to be attuned to the times," Nograles said in a statement on Sunday.

If enacted, Section 1 of the measure will insert a new provision under Article 62, Chapter II of RA 7394, calling for an establishment of Timbangan ng Bayan Center in all markets in the country "where instruments for determining weights and measures shall be open for and accessible to anyone who wants to verify the accuracy of the quantity and measurement of the products they purchased."

"Once in place, Timbangan ng Bayan Centers will give Filipino homemakers and other individuals the assurance that they will not be duped by shrewd vendors with their under-calibrated weighing scales. It's also a good way to pinpoint who the cheaters are in the marketplace," Nograles said.

"We're putting provincial, city, and municipal governments in charge of this undertaking through their IRA (internal revenue allotment)," he added.

A market supervisor will be mandated to safekeep and maintain the weighing devices. He or she will also be tasked to keep a record of every product found to be wanting in quantity or with substandard dimension, as well as the establishment where the goods were bought and the name of the its proprietor or manager.

Heftier fines and penalties will be slapped to individuals who will be involved in fraudulent practices with the weights and measures, Nograles said.

"Specifically, individuals who fraudulently alter any scale, balance, weight, or measure after it was officially sealed will be slapped with a fine between P50,000 and P1 million, and/or imprisonment between one and five years," he said.

"This amendment makes a lot of sense considering that RA 7394 currently prescribes a fine of just P300 and a one-year jail term for such offenses. Vendors will definitely think twice about committing them once the law gets more teeth," he added. —ALG, GMA News