Photo Release

On online trading and the deluge of complaints: Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III, during Monday’s virtual hearing of the Finance Subcommittee A on the proposed 2021 budget of the Department of Trade and Industry notes an increase in online trading and online commerce amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Pimentel said with the rise of e-commerce, there must be an increase in the number of complaints of fraud from consumers. DTI officials confirmed the observation saying that online trading has risen from 1,700 to 80,000; relative thereto, complaints have increased from 985 in January to March, 2020 to 13,674 as of September 25. (Screen grab/Senate PRIB)