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Louella Desiderio - The Philippine Star
March 20, 2026 | 12:00am
Department of Trade and Industry on Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati City
Wikimedia Commons, Patrickroque01, CC BY-SA 4.0
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Direct Selling Association of the Philippines (DSAP) have forged a partnership to address the unauthorized sale of items online.
In a statement, the DTI said its E-Commerce Bureau (ECB) signed a memorandum of understanding with DSAP on March 17 to collaborate on addressing challenges in online marketplaces.
DSAP serves as the national trade association for companies engaged in direct selling and network marketing.
Direct selling involves selling products directly from the business to consumers, rather than through retailers.
The DTI and DSAP’s partnership involves a joint effort to address the unauthorized online sale of products belonging to legitimate direct selling companies.
It also covers initiatives on information sharing, consumer education and capacity building to promote trust in e-commerce transactions.
“This partnership with DSAP is a recognition that effective e-commerce governance requires collaboration. The government cannot do this alone,” DTI ECB director Eryl Royce Nagtalon said.
“The goal of this partnership is not only to address unauthorized online selling of direct selling companies’ products, more importantly, but this is also about building trust in the digital marketplace,” he said further.
The partnership is in line with Republic Act 11967 or the Internet Transactions Act, which seeks to promote secure e-commerce transactions by strengthening consumer protection and ensuring fair competition.
For DSAP chairman Joey Sarmiento, the partnership is expected to promote ethical and responsible business practices, particularly in online marketplaces.
He also said the partnership reflects the shared vision of building a digital marketplace that promotes trust, accountability and responsible innovation.
“As the direct selling industry continues to embrace digital platforms, collaboration between the private sector and government is essential to safeguard consumers, protect legitimate businesses and elevate the standards of e-commerce in the Philippines,” he said.
