The City Government of Davao, through the City Economic Enterprise (CEE), is reminding public market vendors against the use of defective weighing scales following recent reports of vendors deceiving customers in public markets.
Maximo Macalipes Jr., Officer-in-Charge of the CEE, said that together with the City Treasurer’s Office (CTO), they conduct stall inspections and issue an inspection report detailing whether or not the owners and vendors follow protocols on sanitary alignment, weights and measures, as well as the compliance to the necessary permits including the business permit.
Macalipes, in an interview with the City Information Office (CIO) on Monday during their market inspection at the Toril Public Market, said stalls found to have violated the prescribed sanitation alignment, weights and measure, or the lack of business permits are issued with a first notice and are given three-working days to comply and fix the issues.
Failure to comply may lead to the release of a second and final notice of violation which may lead to the issuance of a closure order.
Elaine Joy Lahora, CTO Local Treasury Operations Officer IV, also said that their office conducts regular and strict quarterly inspection of the weighing scales in all public markets in the city. Weighing scales found defective are confiscated.
“Strict atoang quarterly inspection if tama ba ang calibration sa mga timbangan sa palengke (Our office conducts strict quarterly inspection of the weighing scales in all public markets that the weighing scales are calibrated properly),” she said.
During the joint inspection, the CTO was able to confiscate two defective weighing scales. Another vendor was caught in the act after a customer rechecked the weight of the fish she bought using the Timbangan ng Bayan.
Lahora said the weight deficit was close to 250 grams or ¼ kilograms.
The CEE issued a first notice of violation to the stall owner.
Macalipes also emphasized during the inspection that stall owners should always be mindful of their obligations, and to refrain from manipulating their weighing scales and deceiving customers.
The CTO also urged vendors to give the right and proper service to their customers because they are the ones who have the privilege to have stalls in the market. CIO