The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), through its E-Commerce Bureau (ECB), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Direct Selling Association of the Philippines (DSAP) on March 17, 2026, establishing a coordinated effort to curb unauthorized online selling and promote a safer digital marketplace.

The agreement, signed at Discovery Suites in Ortigas Center, Pasig City, focuses on protecting consumers from illegitimate sellers while supporting legitimate businesses that comply with fair trade standards.

Under the partnership, both parties will collaborate on information sharing, consumer education, and capacity-building initiatives aimed at strengthening accountability and trust in online transactions.

DTI ECB Director Atty. Eryl Royce R. Nagtalon underscored that safeguarding consumers in the digital economy requires shared responsibility.

“This partnership with DSAP is a recognition that effective e-commerce governance requires collaboration. The government cannot do this alone,” Atty. Nagtalon said.

He stressed that beyond addressing unauthorized sellers, the broader goal is to restore confidence in online platforms.

“The goal of this partnership is not only to address unauthorized online selling of direct selling companies’ products, more importantly, this is about building trust in the digital marketplace,” he added.

The initiative is aligned with Republic Act No. 11967, or the Internet Transactions Act, which mandates the DTI to strengthen consumer protection and ensure fair competition in e-commerce.

For its part, DSAP said the agreement reinforces the need for ethical business practices as more companies shift to digital platforms.

“This partnership between DSAP and the DTI E-Commerce Bureau reflects a shared vision of a digital marketplace built on trust, accountability, and responsible innovation,” said DSAP Chairman Joey Sarmiento.

“As the direct selling industry continues to embrace digital platforms, collaboration between the private sector and government is essential to safeguard consumers, protect legitimate businesses, and elevate the standards of e-commerce in the Philippines,” he added.

The DTI said it will continue working with industry stakeholders to ensure that the country’s digital marketplace remains safe, fair, and trustworthy for consumers.

The project — the country’s largest integrated solar facility — is scheduled to dispatch an initial 85 MW of power this month, less than 15 months after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. led its inauguration in November 2024.

President Marcos welcomed the development and commended Meralco’s broader efforts to expand electrification, strengthen renewable energy capacity, and support inclusive access to power.

“In the spirit of partnership, let me recognize the continued support of Meralco — our largest distribution utility, for its critical role in advancing our energy goals. From the Terra Solar project which will significantly expand renewable capacity through large scale solar and battery storage, to the electrification of remote communities and support of our net metering and lifeline rate programs, your initiatives help many Filipinos gain access to energy,” President Marcos Jr. said.

During an event at Meralco’s headquarters in Pasig City, the President joined Meralco Chairman and CEO Manuel V. Pangilinan, Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Sharon S. Garin, Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) Chairperson Atty. Francis Saturnino C. Juan, and other officials in reaffirming shared commitments to social protection, renewable energy adoption, and universal access to electricity — priorities outlined in the President’s 2025 State of the Nation Address.

Meralco reiterated its support for the national energy agenda and pledged to continue working closely with the DOE, ERC, and other national and local government agencies to implement programs that directly benefit Filipino consumers.

Pangilinan highlighted initiatives aligned with the President’s directives, including strengthened implementation of the Lifeline Rate Subsidy Program to ensure marginalized families benefit from electricity discounts, and streamlined net metering applications to make rooftop solar more accessible. These efforts support the administration’s target of energizing at least one million households through rooftop solar by 2028.

In support of total electrification, Pangilinan said in a Feb. 14 news release: “We continue working to bring reliable electricity to unserved and underserved communities–using both legacy and innovative grid solutions.”

Meralco recently launched a hybrid solar project that will soon provide 24/7 power to more than 1,000 residents on Cagbalete Island in Mauban, Quezon.

Beyond renewables, the company also secured a US$2.8-million technical assistance grant from the United States Trade and Development Agency to support a comprehensive study on the potential deployment of nuclear power plants in the country, in line with the government’s efforts to explore safe and responsible nuclear energy adoption.

Pangilinan said that these milestones were made possible through strong collaboration among government, regulators, utilities, and communities.

“We are deeply grateful that your government appreciates the importance in our work. Thank you for the direction you gave, and the productive partnership given to Meralco by your administration,” he told President Marcos Jr.

The seizure involved 14,704 items commonly used in Filipino homes and often purchased as gifts during the holidays, including electric rice cookers, electric fans, ovens, juicers, and kettles—products that pose fire, electrical, or injury risks if not properly tested and certified.

DTI said the enforcement action stemmed from an online test-buy that flagged the appliances as potential safety hazards. A follow-up onsite inspection confirmed that the items lacked mandatory Philippine Standard (PS) marks, Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) stickers, and proper manufacturer labeling, which are key consumer safeguards required under Philippine product safety laws.

A Notice of Violation was immediately issued for failure to meet these safety requirements.

DTI Secretary Cristina A. Roque stressed that enforcement actions like this are about protecting families and holding sellers accountable for putting unsafe products on the market, in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to uphold consumer welfare.

“The holiday season is a time when families make purchases for their homes and buy gifts for loved ones. They deserve the peace of mind that comes with safe and reliable products. To ensure this, the DTI is intensifying nationwide inspections to keep unsafe and uncertified appliances out of the market,” Roque said.

The Malabon operation is part of the DTI’s E-Kalasag program, a nationwide market surveillance and enforcement initiative launched in April 2024 to strengthen compliance with safety standards, prevent substandard imports, and ensure that consumers receive products that meet minimum quality and safety requirements.

According to Meralco press release, this brings the overall rate for a typical household to ₱13.2703 per kWh from ₱12.6435 per kWh in the previous month.

For residential customers consuming 200 kWh, the adjustment is equivalent to an increase of around ₱125 in their total electricity bill.

The generation charge went up by ₱0.3749 per kWh primarily due to increases in charges from Independent Power Producers (IPPs) and the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM).

Charges from IPPs rose by ₱0.9476 per kWh due to the nearly ₱2.00 depreciation of the local currency against the US Dollar, marking its weakest level since the start of the year. This affected around 99% of IPP costs which were dollar denominated. In addition, IPPs recorded lower average plant dispatch due to the scheduled maintenance of First Gas-Sta. Rita and First Gas-San Lorenzo from June 30 to July 9 and July 10 to July 14, respectively.

The rate of First Gas-San Lorenzo (500 MW) went up by ₱0.8570 per kWh to ₱9.0790 per kWh while that of First Gas-Sta. Rita (1,000 MW) jumped up by ₱0.8981 per kWh to ₱9.5235 per kWh.

WESM charges also went up by ₱0.4582 per kWh due to an almost 400 MW increase in average capacity on outage in the Luzon grid.

Tempering the higher IPP and WESM charges was a ₱0.2604 per kWh reduction in charges from Power Supply Agreements (PSAs) as a result of lower coal and liquified natural gas prices and improved average PSA dispatch.

IPPs, WESM, and PSAs accounted for 25%, 7%, and 68%, respectively, of Meralco’s total energy requirement for the period.

Transmission and other charges

The transmission charge, another pass-through component of the electricity bill, also contributed to the higher August total rate as it went up by ₱0.1270 per kWh. The increase was due to the implementation of National Grid Corporation of the Philippines’ higher Maximum Allowable Revenue (MAR) and collection of its under-recovery for the years 2016 to 2022, as approved by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC).

Other charges, including taxes, similarly registered a total increase of ₱0.1249 per kWh.

Pass-through charges for generation and transmission are paid by Meralco to the power suppliers and the grid operator, respectively, while taxes, universal charges, and Feed-in Tariff Allowance are all remitted to the government.

Meralco reiterates that its distribution charge, on the other hand, has not moved since the ₱0.0360 per kWh reduction for a typical residential customer beginning August 2022.

Customers also continue to benefit from the ongoing implementation of the distribution-related true-up adjustment, equivalent to a reduction of P0.2024 per kWh for residential customers.

Meralco reminded its customers to be vigilant against a circulating text message scam that falsely claims recipients are entitled to a refund and instructs them to click on a malicious link.

The fraudulent messages, sent via SMS spoofing to make them appear as if these came from a legitimate e-wallet platform, claim there is an “adjustment refund” and contains links to phishing sites.

Meralco Vice President and Head of Corporate Communications Joe R. Zaldarriaga clarified that the company does not process any refunds through e-wallets or third-party platforms.  Any official refund transaction is directly credited to the electricity bill of the customer without the need to click on any links.

“Meralco will never ask for your e-wallet account details or initiate refunds through text messages. We urge our customers to remain cautious and to avoid clicking suspicious links or providing any personal or financial information through text or email,” Zaldarriaga said.

In addition, the distribution utility reiterated its warning to the public against pilferage of electricity distribution facilities and materials since these can cause accidents and power interruptions.

Under Republic Act No. 7832 or the Anti Electricity Pilferage Act, theft of electric power transmission materials are crimes punishable with possible imprisonment and fines starting from ₱50,000.

Customers can report their concerns through the My Meralco app or through Meralco’s official social media accounts on Facebook (www.facebook.com/meralco) and X formerly Twitter (@meralco). They may also text their concerns to 0920-9716211 or 0917-5516211 or contact the Meralco Hotline at 16211.

Amid this strong public support, a new advocacy group called the Pinas Initiative for Accountability (PIA) was launched earlier this week to push multinational corporations to honor their commitments to cage-free sourcing in the Philippines.

“Filipino consumers are being left behind in a time when they deserve transparency. It’s not enough to make promises abroad and hide behind silence locally. We call on local authorities to take action to protect our Filipino consumers,” said Nancy Samonte, program manager of PIA.

Despite growing demand and the availability of cage-free eggs from local producers, no law currently requires companies to disclose their progress toward animal welfare commitments.

This October, PIA will release a 2025 Cage-Free Tracker that maps the commitments of Philippine-based companies revealing who’s walking the talk and who’s not.

Cage-free systems are globally recognized as more humane, allowing hens to engage in natural behaviors such as perching, nesting, and dust bathing—conditions far removed from the pain and restriction of battery cages.

Some Filipino companies have made commitments.

Jollibee, for instance, pledges to go 100% cage-free in the US by 2025 and globally by 2035. Yet many multinational brands operating in the Philippines continue to lag behind, offering few updates or transparency about their local transition plans.

“Our consumers already buy into global brands that market themselves as ethical and sustainable. If those same brands are charging premium prices locally while cutting corners on animal welfare they follow elsewhere, then we are being lied to,” Samonte added.

PIA is actively engaging with government agencies to integrate cage-free efforts into the country’s ESG (environmental, social, and governance) and food sustainability frameworks. It is also in direct dialogue with major brands to push for the publication of local transition plans that reflect their global pledges.

With 2025 draws to a close, PIA warns that the public has yet to see clear progress.

“The goal is simple: Empower consumers and pressure companies to stop treating ethical sourcing as optional in the Philippine market. We want Filipinos to see which companies are true to their word, and which ones are not,” Samonte said.

Project TRINA, which stands for Trade and Industry Assistant, will feature a 24/7 conversational AI avatar on the DTI website that will serve as a one-stop, seamless support tool for the public, reducing the need for in-person visits or manual searching, said DTI in a news release.

The AI assistant will handle queries related to trade, MSME (micro small and medium enterprises) development, consumer rights, and investment policies.

DTI Secretary Cristina A. Roque, who led the signing, said the project is pivotal in creating a more modern and inclusive approach to public service.

“With Project TRINA, we are introducing a new technology that allows people to access DTI services anytime, in a way that feels as natural as talking to a real person, breaking down barriers for users who may not be tech-savvy,” Secretary Roque added.

One of TRINA’s key features is its ability to simulate human interaction in English and Tagalog through voice-enabled and emotionally intelligent responses, especially helpful for users with limited digital skills.

In the project’s next phase, DTI plans to expand TRINA’s capabilities, allowing its various frontline offices to develop their own specialized AI assistants that can facilitate active tasks like applying for a license, registering a new business, or filing a consumer complaint with the appropriate DTI office.

Secretary Roque noted that Project TRINA aligns with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to adopt advanced digital tools for public service delivery, guided by ethical AI standards with human oversight and strong data privacy.

The MOU signing also signals the start of DTI’s broader public engagement campaign to raise nationwide awareness about Project TRINA and its role in providing user-friendly government services.

The DTI Region 11 Director Romeo L. Castañaga advised consumers to verify the mandatory marks such as the Philippine Standard (PS) Quality and/or Safety Mark and Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) Sticker to ensure the products meet safety standards.

“Consumers must be smart and assert their rights when buying products both from physical and online stores. Prioritize your family’s safety when shopping. Do not compromise your family’s safety for the sake of spending less and saving a little extra amount,” Castañaga said.

By purchasing products bearing the PS and ICC stickers, customers are guaranteed that the products underwent safety tests and quality assurance that comply with the Philippines safety and quality regulations.

Consumers may access the latest list of DTI-approved Christmas lights, as of October 14 this year, at https://bps.dti.gov.ph/product-certification/certified-products.

For inquiries or concerns regarding this advisory, consumers may contact DTI 11 at landline number (082) 224-0511 local 417. Concerns can also be sent through its official Facebook page, DTI Region 11.

CitizenWatch Philippines made the statement after news reports came out that over 800 pieces of luggage have been left behind by departing NAIA 3 passengers after the terminal’s baggage handling system malfunctioned.

“Imposing all these fee adjustments while immediately failing customers just weeks after the takeover of the NAIA by NNIC (New NAIA Infrastructure Corp.) is clearly not the best way to win the confidence and support of the passengers and the travelling public. Sadly, this is yet another blow to the reputation of NAIA further worsening its notoriety,” said CitizenWatch Co-convenor Atty. Kit Belmonte.

“The recent debacle regarding the luggage handling system in NAIA Terminal 3 on October 22 should not be overlooked after having inconvenienced hundreds, if not thousands, of passengers of the airport,” he added.

Belmonte also emphasized that the baggage problem justifies that calls that several groups earlier made about stopping the implementation of Administrative Order 1 (AO 1), which imposed the significant fee hikes at NAIA.

“While the New NAIA Infrastructure Corp. may argue that it can be blamed directly due to the ongoing improvements of the facility, it has to be stated that these only justifies our persistent calls to the DOTR (Department of Transportation) to halt Administrative Order 1 (AO1) for it to again be studied and further reviewed thereby ensuring that the impact of the improvements are realized first before fee adjustments are to be considered,” he said.

Belmonte calls on the public, who are most affected by the fees increase, to share their grievances about these concerns and make their voices heard.

“While we all hope for immediate improvements of our airports and aviation facilities, we call on the public to be partners of change and become proactive voices in sharing our grievances and advancing public interest. The airport fee hikes need a serious rethink,” Belmonte said.

CitizenWatch Philippines Co-Convenor Atty. Kit Belmonte made the statement following the recent departure of Miru System’s Joint Venture local partner, St. Timothy Construction Corporation (STCC). 

Belmonte emphasized the importance of transparency and accountability in ensuring the integrity of the 2025 elections.

“Transparency and accountability are essential to safeguarding the integrity of the upcoming 2025 elections, and the public has the right to be assured that 2025 mid-term elections be conducted with full compliance to the law,” Belmonte said.

CitizenWatch Philippines said it is joining the Freedom of Information advocacy group, Right to Know, Right Now Coalition (R2KRN), in its demand for Miru to release detailed information on the remaining partners’ roles, responsibilities, financial capacity, and compliance with the 60 percent Filipino ownership requirement.

“We echo the coalition’s concerns about the withdrawal of St. Timothy Construction Corp. (STCC) from the joint venture and the potential impacts this could have on the execution of the contract,”  Belmonte said.

“Additionally, we call for a transparent breakdown of liabilities, revised timelines, and contingency plans to ensure that any potential disruptions do not compromise the election process,” he added.

Belmonte challenged Miru to directly answer all concerns raised by the public.

“The integrity of our electoral process is paramount, it is crucial that Miru System stops hiding behind the Comelec and directly answers all legitimate concerns raised by the public,” Belmonte stated.

“The 2025 elections are a pillar of our democracy, and only through full disclosure and accountability can we ensure that they proceed smoothly, fairly, and on time,” he also said.

Belmonte also called on all stakeholders, including Comelec, to ensure that the public interest remains at the forefront of their actions, especially this coming 2025 elections.

“CitizenWatch Philippines stands ready to support all efforts to uphold transparency and protect the credibility of the electoral process,” he said.