Standards set for engineered bamboo for school furniture
The Department of Trade and Industry- Bureau of Philippine Standards (DTI-BPS) Technical Committee on Furniture (BPS/TC 41) developed a standard specifying the requirements for engineered bamboo for school furniture (PNS 2090:2012).
This is in support of the thrust of the government to promote the Bamboo Industry Development Project which directs the use of bamboo for at least twenty five percent of the desk and furniture requirements of public elementary and secondary schools.
According to the standard, engineered bamboo refers to bamboo products that are manufactured by binding together veneers, strands, particles, fibers, strips or slats of bamboo with a suitable adhesive to form a composite material designed to meet specific uses. School furniture covers tablet chairs, chairs, tables and desks.
Among the requirements specified in Philippine National Standards (PNS) 2090 are the materials, construction, finish, strength and durability of engineered bamboo for chairs, tablet chairs, tables and desks, and stability.
The test methods for determining the safety, strength and durability and stability of the product are also covered in the standard.
The standard requires the following information to be marked in the furniture: registered trade name or brand name; date of manufacture; complete name and address of manufacturer, distributor or importer; and the words “Made in the Philippines” or country of origin if imported.
The committee that developed the standard is composed of representatives from the Chamber of Furniture Industry of the Philippines, Ward Trading, Rodenstock Manufacturing Corp., URATEX, Procurement Service/DBM, Product Development and Design Center of the Philippines, Department of Education, Forest Products Research and Development Institute/DOST, Cottage Industry Training Center, and BPS.
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Consumer education activities
As part of the Consumer Welfare Month celebration, the Department of Trade of Trade and Industry (DTI) Region 7 provincial offices are conducting Consumer Education Seminars in their respective areas.
Topics discussed during the seminars include handling complaints, availing of the services of the Consumer Welfare Desks in supermarkets and the salient features of the Consumer Act of the Philippines, among others.
DTI also talked on consumer rights such as consumer rights of information, choice, representation, redress, and consumer education, right to basic needs, safety, and healthy environment. Included are responsibilities of consumers such as critical awareness, action, social concern, environmental awareness and solidarity.
The activities dubbed as “Consumer Education and Advocacy” is part of the nationwide consumer welfare program of DTI in accordance with the “right to education” of consumers.
According to DTI, the seminars are given for free to the public and the business sector.
DTI encourages the business sector who have yet to avail of the consumer education and advocacy seminars from DTI to also take advantage of this assistance to help them improve their customer services and to facilitate the resolution of complaints filed by their customers.
For inquiries on the free seminars and assistance of DTI, those interested may visit the nearest DTI provincial office.
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DTI slates fair trade law seminars
In celebration of the Consumer Welfare Month and Standards Week, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is pursuing an advocacy program that aims to build the virtue of responsible entrepreneurship among businessmen.
The activity is aimed at raising the level of competencies among local enterprises and improving high customer satisfaction.
It involves seminars on fair trade laws and customer relations which will be given to entrepreneurs in the provinces.
The orientation of entrepreneurs on business-related laws will greatly help them become more law-abiding citizens and their businesses more customer-friendly.
The seminar’s course outline includes: business name law, product standards law, retail trade-related laws, service-related laws and customer relations.
To avail of the free seminars, contact the nearest DTI office.