The market division of Mangaldan in Pangasinan is encouraging the use of digital weighing scales to prevent cheating. 

“We are encouraging na digital kasi accurate talaga ‘yan, 100 percent,” Juan Garcia, Mangaldan Market Supervisor, said.

In the first quarter of 2024, authorities confiscated stacks of defective weighing scales from vendors in the public market attempting to take advantage of customers.

While digital weighing scales may be more expensive compared to traditional ones, some vendors in the market are already using them.

“Okay naman ito kasi talagang tama ang timbang,” Princita Gomez, a vendor, said.

“Tao lang naman ang nandadaya hindi ang timbangan,” Marie Cariño, a shopper, added.

With many still using traditional scales, authorities are intensifying their campaign against defective scales.

The Market Division monitors vendors daily, and there's also a public weighing scale provided by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) inside the market.

Every three years, the destruction of defective scales is conducted in the town.