Pursuant to Title X, Book IV of the Administrative Code of 1987 and to more effectively implement Title IV of Republic Act 7394 otherwise known as the Consumer Act of the Philippines, the following rules and regulations are hereby promulgated:

SECTION 1.       Consumer Arbitration Officers (CAO) shall be assigned by their respective Regional Directors to a province where he/she will have original and exclusive jurisdiction to mediate, conciliate and arbitrate consumer complaints.

SECTION 2.       The Regional Director may further designate said Consumer Arbitration Officer, in additional to the latter's official provincial assignment, as Alternate Acting Arbitration Officer of provinces where there are no Consumer Arbitration Officers officially appointed. The number of provinces where the CAO will be designated as acting CAO and the official station of the said CAO shall be determined by the Regional Director.

SECTION 3.       In provinces where a CAO has been officially assigned, the current Acting CAO (Provincial Director/Caretaker/OIC) will turn over said function to the said officially assigned CAO.

SECTION 4.       In provinces where no CAO has been officially assigned, the current Acting CAO (Provincial Director/Caretaker/OIC) will continue to discharge such function as the Alternate Acting CAO provided that if the Acting CAO (Provincial Director/Caretaker/OIC) assumes original jurisdiction to mediate complaints, he/she shall take cognizance of said complaint up to the arbitration stage.

The respective Regional Director may designate the provincial Trade and Industry Regulations Division (TIRD) Chief/OIC/Caretaker or any employee belonging to the particular DTI Provincial Office as Acting CAO in a concurrent capacity with the respective Provincial Director/Caretaker/OIC (as Acting CAO).

SECTION 5.       This Department Administrative Order amends or revokes all inconsistent provisions of DAO 124, Series of 1992, as amended by DAO 3, Series of 1993.

This Department Administrative Order shall take effect fifteen (15) days after publication in two newspapers of general circulation.

Adopted: 26 Oct. 1995