Online barter allowed in Mindanao areas, illegal in rest of the country

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said Tuesday online barter is illegal and violates tax laws.

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said during the Laging Handa public briefing that barter-trading is only allowed in “very limited” Mindanao areas, but it is prohibited in the rest of the country.

Lopez said barter-trading is allowed in Sulu and Tawi-Tawi according to an executive order issued by the President, particularly Executive Order No. 64 signed in 2018.

“Ang barter trade ho ay allowed po iyan doon po sa mga limited places sa Mindanao dahil po sa nature po ng … iyong mga lugar doon na kailangan ma-improve iyong livelihood, iyong mga hanapbuhay po lalo na sa tabi ng dagat,” the Trade chief said.

(Barter trade is allowed in limited places in Mindanao because of the nature of the area where their livelihood should be improved, especially those near coastal areas.)

“Pero po sa ibang lugar ay hindi po allowed iyong barter trade. At saka kailangan ho, ano pa, iyong regular transaction tayo diyan at saka dapat ho ay may tax na binabayaran,” Lopez added.

(But barter trade is not allowed in other areas. And the regular transaction there and they should pay taxes.)

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The DTI chief said then said the government would implement a crackdown of those engaging in illegal online barter trading.

“Bawal nga po so – at saka nalalabag nila iyong tax law diyan – anyway, ipapahanap po natin iyon dahil illegal po iyong activity,” Lopez said.

(It is not allowed, and they are also violating tax law. Anyway, we would trace them because it is an illegal activity.)

“So diyan po, umaaksiyon naman po iyong ating team, composite team ng DTI at ng PNP (Philippine National Police), NBI (National Bureau of Investigation),” he said.

(Our composite team of DTI, PNP, and NBI will take action.)

Lopez, however, said the DTI has not yet received complaints concerning barter-trading online.

“So marami na rin ho tayong natanggap na complaints but not on barter,” he said.

(We are receiving a lot of complaints but not on barter.)

“But in general dito po sa mga online from 1,000 I think, in January of this year to 10,000, ang ibig sabihin ang mga complaints. Ganoon din kadami kasi tumalon ang transaksiyon sa online selling lalo na iyong quarantine, the height of the quarantine period,” Lopez said.