The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) mulls imposing a suggested retail price (SRP) on car seats to ensure that prices would not spike as the government begins implementing the Child Safety and Motor Vehicle Act or Republic Act 11229.
According to DTI Undersecretary Ruth B. Castelo, the DTI could consider including car seats in the list of basic necessities and prime commodities (BNPCs) to impose an SRP on them.
Castelo said she can discuss the SRP for car seats with DTI Secretary Ramon M. Lopez.
BNPCs are products that a consumer cannot live without or can live without but life would be comfortable if you have this product, Castelo said.
She also called on big retailers not to increase the prices of child safety seats and advised consumers to buy now.
Last week, DTI reminded retailers not to sell uncertified car seats now that the demand for them has increased due to the implementation of the Child Safety in Motor Vehicles Act.
Under the implementing rules and regulations of such law, it is necessary to secure a certificate of the manufacturers, importers, distributors, and sellers of the child restraint system from the DTI.
SRP on car seats eyed – DTI
According to Castelo, the certification of car seats is still being processed to give them a PS Mark or ICC sticker, which is set by law.
So far, only one importer has been given DTI certification while others are still processing.
“We have to encourage the importers to bring in more (child car seats), pati retailers natin. They can talk to their suppliers to bring in more to make sure that we have sufficient supply but syempre kailangan pa rin i-certify parin ito,” said Castelo.
“We can certify the foreign manufacturer. Sila mismo ang maga-apply ng PS license or the product itself bago nila ipasok dito may certification sila for import commodity clearance,” she added.
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced that they will delay the full implementation of the Child Car Seat Law or the Child Safety in Motor Vehicles Act amid the COVID-19 pandemic.