MANILA -- The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has begun the process of establishing a body that will act on complaints and other concerns of consumers regarding telecommunication services.
The department is proposing a Digital Consumer Welfare and Protection Body, wherein consumers can file their complaints on various issues such as dropped calls, vanishing prepaid load, cyberattacks and data breaches of mobile users, among others.
“What we intend to do is consolidate consumer complaints -- we will have a number where they could dial and kami na bahala ang mag-process (we will be the ones that will process these),” DICT Assistant Secretary for Legal Affairs and Consumer Protection Carlos Caliwara said in an interview with reporters on the sidelines of the National Digital Consumer Conference held in Makati City Thursday.
The DICT official explained that the department is mandated to ensure and protect the rights and welfare of consumers and business users to privacy, security and confidentiality in matters relating to information and communications technology (ICT).
According to Caliwara, the DICT currently receives various complaints in relation to services being offered by telcos, which are being forwarded to them in order that they may decide on measures or remedies to address these.
“Once this is created, the consumer protection body will be able to conduct investigations on its own and make policies that will directly address telco-related concerns. Just give us three months in order to formalize this initiative,” he said.
The department will be conducting nationwide consultations with various government agencies and ICT stakeholders in crafting its National Strategy for the Digital Consumer 2018-2022.
The DICT will likewise come up with a joint administrative order on procedures addressing consumer issues and concerns pertaining to the telco industry and speedy resolution of complaints.
The National Digital Consumer Conference, the first-ever to be organized by the DICT, is aimed at initiating consultations on a model of implementation involving the formation of the proposed digital consumer welfare and protection body.
The model will determine the strategies and approaches to be taken by the department and its identified partners in improving ICT consumer protection.
The event gathers authorities and speakers from various national government agencies and industry partners to create awareness on consumer protection practices. It is set to conclude on Friday, July 27. (PNA)
