Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista is one with consumers in battling the surge of fake products by signing an ordinance mandating business establishments to post their return and exchange policy.
City Ordinance 2710-2018, introduced by Councilor Anthony Peter Crisologo, aims to inform consumers of their rights as buyers and to protect them from unscrupulous retailers who sell defective, broken, and misleading items.
The ordinance is also in compliance with Article 2 of Republic Act 7384, the Consumer Act of the Philippines, which provides that it is the policy of the State “to protect the interests of the consumer, promote its general welfare, and to establish standards of conduct for business and industry.”
“Purchased items must be of satisfactory quality, fit for the purpose bought and the same as described, so that consumers will get a full money’s worth of purchase,” reads the ordinance, which shall apply to registered business establishments engaged in retail sales within the jurisdiction of the city.
Meanwhile, Quezon City affirms its commitment in upholding women’s rights and fighting violence against women and children as it expressed its support to the “Respeto Naman” campaign, a nationwide advocacy against gender-based violence led by Embassy of Sweden in Manila, Office of the Vice President, United Nations Women Safe Cities Metro Manila, SPARK Philippines, and Empower.
The campaign is a part of the 18-day activism versus violence against women and children (VAWC), alongside the launching of the “Don’t tell me how to dress” campaign by the UN Women Safe Cities Metro Manila.
The campaign aims to stop victim blaming among women who experience sexual harassment and abuse. Clothes worn by sexual harassment victims were shown in the exhibit, telling each of their stories.
According to a UN study, three out of five women who were harassed were not wearing revealing clothes, and most of the women wore school uniforms or business attire.
“We’re saying that this (sexual harassment) is not the fault of women, and neither can it be blamed on their clothing,” said Charisse Jordan, national project officer of UN Safe Cities Metro Manila.
The UN Women Safe Cities also emphasizes the four R’s—Realize, Respond, Report, and Reform—in combating VAWC.
In her speech, Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte boasted of the city’s successful campaign against violence against women and children and the actions of the City in addressing these concerns.
“We have the most progressive GAD (Gender and Development) code in the country, including being the partner of UN Women Safe Cities advocacy project,” Belmonte said.
In QC alone, the reported cases of rape increased from 196 in 2017 to 259 in 2018, showing that more people are getting aware on sexual harassment and abuse.
QC is also cited as a model city when it comes to fighting violence against women and children through policies such as Ordinance SP-2501, S-2106 or the Quezon City Anti-Catcalling Ordinance which penalizes street-level harassment on women.