CUBAO, Quezon City — In a bid to ensure fair competition in the rapidly growing e-commerce space, the government and private sector have partnered to strengthen consumer protection through coordinated efforts that would curb unauthorized online selling and promote a safer digital marketplace.

The partnership has been initiated by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) with the Direct Selling Association of the Philippines (DSAP) and will target online scams that often victimize many consumers due to their gullibility to attractive offers that end up as false or fraudulent.

Filipino Consumers for Reform (Filcore), a non-government organization (NGO) recently put up as a watch dog and source of needed information, praised the DTI in remaining firm in its commitment by signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with DSAP in order to help in the government's campaign to enforce fair trade practices that would eventually sanitize online selling from unwanted fraud.

The MoU, signed last March 17 in Pasig City, focuses on protecting consumers from illegitimate sellers while supporting legitimate businesses that comply with fair trade standards.

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

Filcore secretary-general and spokesperson Tracy Cabrera underscored the move as recognition to the reality that effective e-commerce governance requires collaboration between the public and private sectors as government cannot actually succeed by doing it alone.

This was pointed out accordingly by DTI E-Commerce Bureau (ECB) director Atty. Eryl Royce R. Nagtalon who stressed that safeguarding consumers in the digital economy requires shared responsibility.

Atty. Nagtalon emphasized that beyyond 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.”

Cabrera noted, meanwhile, that
this 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.

“This will reinforce the need for ethical business practices as more companies shift to digital platforms. It also reflects a shared vision of a digital marketplace built on trust, accountability and responsible innovation,” Cabrera pointed out.

“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 country,” he added to conclude.