House okays ‘Timbangan ng Bayan Centers’ bill

FILE: The House of Representatives on Thursday approved the 2018 national budget in its second reading. (ROBINSON NIÑAL JR./PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO)

MANILA — The House of Representatives on Wednesday unanimously approved on third reading a measure seeking to establish a Timbangan ng Bayan Center in all markets nationwide.

With 199 affirmative votes, zero negative vote and zero abstention, the lower chamber approved on final reading House Bill 7857, which seeks to amend the “Consumer Act of the Philippines” or Republic Act 7394.

The bill is principally authored by Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Arroyo said the bill aims to protect the public against fraudulent practices relative to the use of weighing instruments in public and private markets.

Arroyo further noted that the creation of Timbangan ng Bayan Centers will provide consumers with an effective means of checking the accuracy of the weight and the quantity of the goods that they are buying.

Under the bill, a Timbangan ng Bayan Center shall be established in public and private markets, including flea markets, where instruments for determining weights and measures shall be open and accessible to anyone who wants to accurately weigh and measure the products they purchase.

The bill provides that the safekeeping and maintenance of said instruments shall be under the control and supervision of the market supervisors.

The market supervisors shall keep a record of every product found to be underweight or substandard, and identify the erring establishment and its owner or manager.

The bill prohibits the alteration, tampering, vandalizing or destruction of a Timbangan ng Bayan and penalizes such acts with a fine of PHP50,000 to PHP300,000 and imprisonment of up to five years, or both, upon the discretion of the court.