The Antique Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), in an effort to ensure businesses are in compliance with RA 10909, or the No Shortchanging Act of 2016, will assess fines on business found to be in violation.

“We do not allow sales personnel, and even managers, to tell their customers that they do not have the exact change,” said DTI Development Specialist Lynna Joy Cardinal.

She said customers who are shortchanged can report the incident to the Consumer Welfare Desk or file a complaint directly with DTI.

Businesses face fines of P500 on their first offense; P5,000 on the second; P15,000 and a suspension of their business license on the third; and P25,000, along with a full revocation of their license, on the fourth.

Among the policies related to the law, as outlined in the implementing rules and regulations, which were released in January 2017, include posting notices to remind cashiers to give exact change and for establishments to provide exact change without waiting for customers to ask./PLL, WDJ