Question & AnswerQ&A (Republic Act No. 11706)
Republic Act No. 11706 provides for the establishment of Timbangan ng Bayan Centers in public and private markets to ensure accuracy in weights and measures, amending Chapter II, Title III of Republic Act No. 7394 or the Consumer Act of the Philippines.
All provincial, city, and municipal governments are mandated to establish accessible Timbangan ng Bayan Centers within their respective localities.
They must be established in all public and private markets, including supermarkets, and when practicable, in flea markets or tiangges and grocery stores.
They must have necessary instruments for determining weights and measures, which must be available free of charge to persons who need to confirm the accuracy of purchased or about-to-be purchased products.
The marker supervisor is responsible for the safekeeping, routine maintenance of the instruments, and maintaining records of any deficient or substandard products found.
A flea market or tiangge is defined as a temporary market where goods, merchandise, or food products are sold.
The DTI is to provide assistance to provincial, city, and municipal governments for the establishment of Timbangan ng Bayan Centers nationwide, prioritizing lower-income classified local government units.
Among others, fraudulent alteration, tampering, vandalizing, or destroying any officially sealed scale, balance, Timbangan ng Bayan instrument, weight, or measure is prohibited.
Convicted persons face a fine of P50,000 to P300,000, imprisonment of one to five years, or both, and two successive violations may result in cancellation of the erring business permit.
The Act takes effect fifteen (15) days following its publication in at least two newspapers of general circulation or in the Official Gazette.
The necessary amount shall be charged against the national tax allotment and other funds of the concerned local government units.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Trade and Industry, Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines, League of Provinces, League of Cities, League of Municipalities, and other relevant government agencies and stakeholders.
A supermarket is a market larger than a grocery store where shoppers serve themselves using baskets or pushcarts to select commodities from shelves or cold storage and pay at the exit.