Press Release
December 17, 2009

TIGHTER WATCH FOR EXPIRED, DEFECTIVE X'MAS GOODIES SOUGHT

Senator Mar Roxas today called on the government to be more vigilant in protecting public interest against unscrupulous businessmen who take advantage of the holiday rush consumer spending by selling expired and defective Christmas delicacies and stuff.

Roxas, chairman of the Senate trade and commerce committee, said he has received increasing complaints on expired Christmas goods like hams and cheese balls and defective flashing lights and other holiday displays.

"Sobra na ang pang-aabuso sa ating mga kababayan nitong mga tusong negosyante na nagkalat sa ating bansa. Kailangang maging mapagmatyag tayong lahat nang sa gayon ay hindi tayo ma-biktima ng mga ito (The abuses of these scheming businessmen in the country are too much. We have to be vigilant to avoid being their next victims)," said the former secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry.

"Kailangang pagtuunan ng pansin ng ating gobyerno ang kapakanan ng taumbayan. Bagsak ang ating ekonomiya. Kawawa naman ang ating mga kababayang bagsak na nga sa kahirapan ay mabibiktima pa ng mga walang-pusong mga negosyante (Government must keep watch over the welfare of the public. Our economy is down. I feel sorry for our poor countrymen who could be the next victims of these schemes)," he added.

DTI complaint desks nationwide have been swamped with consumer protests for expired goodies they have bought in supermarkets. Expiry dates of the goodies - which include pear-shaped, cured or sweetened hams and other cold cuts, cheese balls, canned goods and pasta noodles - were either erased or tampered with.

Every year, the DTI gets complaints about defective Christmas decors and other decorations sold in "tiangge" stalls, which usually spring up months before the Holiday season.

The Visayan senator said the public must be more meticulous in checking out expiry dates of Christmas delicacies sold in markets all over the country to avoid getting sick.

"Maging maingat tayong lahat. Mas masaya ang pasko kung kasama nating nagdidiwang ang ating mga mahal sa buhay sa loob ng ating mga tahanan. Napakalungkot mag-pasko sa ospital (Let us all be careful. Christmas is best spent with our loved ones in the comfort of our homes. It is very lonely to be at the hospital during this season)," Roxas said.

"Sama-sama nating ipagdiwang ang kasalukuyang taon at salubungin ang paparating na 2010 ng may pag-asa sa ating mga puso (Let's celebrate the blessings of this year and greet 2010 with hopes in our hearts)," he said.

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