MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on Friday warned consumers against buying medical products from online sellers, who are taking advantage of fears caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19.
“We’re talking to the buyers, huwag tangkilikin ‘yung mga online sellers at kanilang produkto (Do not patronize online sellers and their products),” DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez said in a press briefing in Malacañang.
Lopez cautioned buyers that products from unscrupulous online shops may not have undergone tests and approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or could be fake items.
“Sa mga nagbebenta online, papahanap po namin kayo lalo na po kung ang binebenta ninyo ay mga medical products. Illegal po ‘yun dahil unang-una, hindi kayo certified seller, hindi po kayo drug store at saka ang binebenta niyo malamang ay walang FDA seal,” Lopez said.
(To online sellers, we will find you especially if what you sell are medical products. That’s illegal because you’re not a certified seller, you’re not a drug store and what you sell probably does not have the FDA approval seal.)
“At kung may seal man ‘yan, hindi natin alam kung tampered na ‘yan at adulterated, ibig sabihin may halo na, and therefore, hindi effective at bale fake ‘yung produkto na binebenta ninyo,” he added.
(Even if it has the seal, we’re not sure whether that’s tampered or not. The product might also be adulterated and therefore, not effective and fake.)
In the wake of a lockdown in Metro Manila and public jitters over COVID-19, many consumers trooped to groceries and supermarkets to buy necessities on Friday.
‘Customer is not always right’
Lopez, however, reminded consumers that they could only purchase a maximum of two bottles of alcohol and those who insist on buying more should be sent out of the stores.
“The customer is not always right pagdating sa ganyan na may rule na tayo. Ang mga supermarket, binilinan ng DTI, ipapairal nila yung rule na ‘yan. Bentahan nila ng dalawa, ‘yun ang limit,” Lopez said.
(The customer is not always right especially now that we have a rule. The supermarkets have been advised by the DTI to implement this rule. Sell them two, that’s the limit.)
If they refuse to be sold with only two bottles, Lopez said: “Eh ‘di huwag, simple lang, labas sila. May security guard po sila, ipalabas po nila ‘yan (Then don’t, it’s simple, let them out. Stores have guards, they should send them out).”