By Rey Anthony H. Chiu

Repair shops which the Department of Trade and industry (DTI) accredited are advised to process their expired accreditation until January 31. Jose Hibaya, DTI Bohol relayed the information during the weekly Kapihan sa PIA Thursday, amidst the fast approaching deadline and the flurry of renewing business permits. Hibaya said repair shops that offer refrigeration and air-conditioning, automotive repair, motorcycle and small engines, electronics and electrical devise repair are accredited at the DTI so consumers are assured that the services they get from these shops conform to national standards. Every year, the DTI gives accreditation to these shops, accreditation that last until December 31, or when these shop owners need to renew their accreditations. The accreditation is a form of government assurance to consumers that they can get standard services and competent repair service men attested by the government's Technical Education and Skills Training Authority (TESDA) when getting a service from the shop.

For those who have new shops and would want to get the same DTI accreditation, he advised the owners to initially seek business permits and clearances from their localities before going to the DTI for accreditation as the trade department need the business name and clearances prior to accreditation. Calling on all accredited shops to renew, Hibaya also added a warning to those shops which operate without accreditation. DTI could close the shops and file appropriate charges to those fly-by-night shop owners who operate without accreditation, he said. Apart from that, there are stiff penalties for shops which operate on expired accreditation and stiffer on those who do not own one. For those renewing their accreditation, DTI would also need beside the business name registration and clearances the following: receipts of insurance payments, warrantees, list of tools, list of employees, second level of TESDA accreditation for competency of workers among others.