Trade and Industry Secretary Alfredo Pascual stressed the importance of establishing a clear and comprehensive framework to propel e-commerce forward in the country as he signed the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of Republic Act No. 11967, also known as the Internet Transactions Act (ITA) of 2023.
The IRR provides a framework to implement the ITA, aimed at advancing Philippine e-commerce. Representatives from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the Department of Agriculture (DA), the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), the Department of Health (DOH), and the National Privacy Commission (NPC) joined the DTI as co-signatories of the IRR.
“I think the role of development is in terms of ensuring that regulation does not impede the free development of e-commerce,” Pascual said. “E-commerce would still be driven by the private sector.”
However, he also emphasized the importance of public and private collaboration in this initiative.
The ITA IRR outlines procedures and guidelines for interagency collaboration, defining the responsibilities of digital platforms, e-marketplaces, e-retailers, online merchants, and consumers. Secretary Pascual noted the law’s potential to create opportunities for Filipinos reliant on internet-based businesses and services.
“I am confident that this law and the IRR will positively revolutionize e-commerce in the Philippines,” Pascual said. “By fostering trust in online transactions, we are creating more opportunities for high-quality and better-paying jobs.”
e-Commerce Philippines 2028 Roadmap
The E-Commerce Bureau will lead efforts to address issues such as digital payments, agriculture and health products, data privacy, complaints and dispute resolution, intellectual property, and tax.
DTI Undersecretary and E-Commerce Lead Mary Jean Pacheco highlighted the extensive deliberations and consultations that led to the finalization of the IRR.
“Now that we have the IRR of the law, we can now expect that our e-commerce will effectively grow while offering both consumers and merchants the security that the provisions of the ITA offer,” said Sen. Mark Villar, the principal author and sponsor of the ITA in the Senate.
The signing of the ITA IRR supports the e-Commerce Philippines 2028 Roadmap, which includes developing digital farm-to-market routes, promoting tourism, and protecting copyright-based industries.