PROFILE | about the organization

vic del fierroConsumer protection in the Philippines is nearly a myth for decades. The earliest consumerist included the late Polly Cayetano and a few other names.

The enactment of the Consumers Code of the Philippines in 1992 was the dawn of active consumerism in the country. The law is actually a toothless doctrine of consumer protection with hardly enough implementation guidelines. Nevertheless, that year marked the birth of the Coalition 349, otherwise known as Coalition for Consumer protection & Welfare, Inc.

Today, Coalition for Consumer Protection & Welfare is the Philippines' biggest dynamic consumer organizations and the only one recognized in the international consumers movement, which includes 115 countries in the UK based Consumers International (CI).

Founded, organized, and originally registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), 349, the organization's original charter members came from the ranks of the victims of the Pepsi Number Fever of 1992 with members clustered in chapters nationwide from Ilocos to Zamboanga, Muslims, and Christians.

The Coalition, led by Vicente del Fierro, Jr., its president, is well equipped. Its leader has many decades of experience as a freelance journalist and newspaper columnist, advertising and marketing practitioner, a lobbyist in government and an advertising entrepreneur. It has its core of consultants in law and other fields as well.

He studied and finished journalism from the University of Santo Tomas and later studied public administration from the University of the Philippines, business at the Ateneo School of Business and law at San Sebastian College of Law. Del Fierro, for one, has passion with public issues advocacy, coupled with his years in the academe (De La Salle University where he thought marketing management), gives him in depth knowledge and a balance perspectives as a consumerist.

He is the servant leader of Jesus is the Way Catholic Prayer Community for 25 years. His deep Christian core values and principle leadership enable him to sustain the battle between the force of good and evil. Since 1995, with the growing number of consumer issues and complaints handled, they changed the corporate name to Coalition for Consumer Protection & Welfare.

The Philippine Senate and Congress, through its various committees, have been inviting the Coalition to present as a resource person where it expresses its position in various legislative proposals and issues affecting Filipino consumers' interests like Pre-Need Insurance Industry where it presented a 15-point reform agenda which affected more than 5 million consumer policy holders in the industry.

It has also been involved in presenting its views on credit cards interests and policies and exposed the predatory appetites of these institutions to as high as 42% to 45% per annum inclusive of 39% annual rate of interest deemed to be predatory and other charges and fees amounting from 42% to 45% yearly. It would soon publish a book on the legal rate of interest to protect consumers from banks, financing and credit card companies.

Apart from this, the Coalition has actively participated in regional Asian Conference on Consumer Protection in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in February 2003, and represented the Philippines in the 17th World Consumers Congress in Lisbon, Portugal. The Coalition was invited to participate in the Conference on Competition of Foreign Direct Investment sponsored by the UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade and development) and INCSOC (International Network of Civil Society organization in Geneva Switzerland last January 26-30, 2004. The Coalition is affiliated with CI and INCSOC.

With its liaison and global alliance network with consumers, the Coalition has a wide array of references and research materials on various consumer issues for the World health Organization (WHO), the United Nations, and regular consumer periodicals from consumer organizations in Asia Pacific, North America, and the European Union.

It is recently in the process of inviting a select group of consultant on various issues to serve in a technical addressing board to respond to various consumer issues.

TRACK RECORD | activities and accomplishments



VISION 

 
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1.) CCPW insure Filipino Consumers are well informed of their Rights and Responsiblitiys and well protected thru the availability of SAFE and AFFORDABLE products in the market to satisfy the basic needs of every Filipino Citizen for the good of the Country.
2.) The Protection and Welfare of Consumers is guaranteed by the RA 7394, especially Ch.2, Art. 154, a continuing Educative campaign in all levels of Society, Schools, Communities, the Media ( Radio, TV) and other means, to raise the consumer awareness and the excercise of their Rights in the pursuit of effective enforcement of Rules and Regulations, maintaining a just and friendly environment, where Manufacturers response, satisfy the Consumer and ends in a mutually beneficial situation.


MISSION 


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1.) With coordination to NCAC Education Committee ( in RA 7394, Ch. 2, Art. 154), CCPW, will help promote and encourage Education Campaign for the dissemination of inforamtion to increase the Awareness of Consumers's Right and Responsibilty.
2.) To work out with concerned Manufacturers, to truly follow the GMP--Good Manufacturing Practice, guidelines to guarantee safe and quality products for the consuming public.
3.) To help fomulate Ethical Policies for Industry, to consder, not only Corporate benefit, but their Social Responsibility as well.
4.) To assure the consuming public of Assistance in their plight for redress to settle issues on the accountability of any entity towards its resolution in the favor of the agrieved party.
5.) To help eliminate fraudolent products from the market shelf by the strict compliance of Rules and Regulations on--a) correct labeling, b) expiry date, c) content and other additives, which may be detrimental to human health, and e) "seal of approval" by FDA must be visible in all products in the market.


THRUST 


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1.) To adhere to the THRUST of CCPW in the Protection and Welfare of every Filipino Consumer from fraud and other malpractice in Commerce, in advancing fair arbitration on issues between and among Companies concern, that creates an environment for a better Philippies.
2.) CCPW will continue it's alliance with Internationally established network of Consumer Organizations for up-date on product standard applicble to the Philippines.
3.) To strengthen CCPW stand on issues of Fake Drugs, poor quality cosmetics, food and others, such as toys, school supplies. CCPW will be all out against movies and advertisements adversely affecting and desecrating cultural and moral values.


 
"Therefore this is what the LORD says: “Behold, I will plead your case and take vengeance on your behalf; I will dry up her sea and make her springs run dry." - Jeremiah 51:36