By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The Bacolod City Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) has requested the City Treasurer’s Office to conduct an inspection of all instruments for weights and measures at the three public markets and satellite markets.

In a resolution passed last week, it also requested for weighing scales to be properly tested, calibrated, and sealed.

City Councilor Bartolome Orola, who authored the resolution, cited Chapter II of RA 7394, or the Consumer Act of the Philippines, which explains the regulation of practices relative to weights and measures.

According to the law, “All instruments for determining weights and measures in all consumer and consumer related transactions shall be tested, calibrated, and sealed every six months by the official sealer, who shall be the provincial or city or municipal treasurer.”

“There are still instances [where] weighing scales, and such other instruments, are being tampered with or weighing scales [are] being used without seal and not officially calibrated,” Orola said. “Such fraudulent practices relative to weights and measures are prohibited by

law and has the corresponding penalties that should be strictly implemented.”

He added, there is also a need to educate the consuming public on being aware and observant during consumer transactions, and to immediately report to authorities if they have knowledge of such fraudulent acts in order for such deceptive and unfair sales acts or practices to stop./DGB, WDJ