The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has set off alarms across the e-commerce sector: online marketplaces and digital platforms are now under a strict 7-day deadline to remove listings for illegal vape products—or face serious consequences.
The agency in a statement said the DTI’s E-Commerce Bureau, led by officer-in-charge Eryl Royce Nagtalon, underscored that many vape listings currently circulating online lack the necessary regulatory approvals—missing essential health warning labels, excise tax stamps, and Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) markings—violating several national statutes, including the Consumer Act, the Synthetic Nicotine Regulation Act (RA 11900), and Department of Health regulations
Over the past 2 years, the DTI’s Office for the Special Mandate on Vaporized Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Products (OSMV) has flagged some 92,000 suspect listings, spanning both online shops and physical outlets.
To enforce compliance, the DTI initiated inter-agency monitoring efforts including spot checks and readiness to deploy legal remedies—ranging from fines and takedown orders to blacklisting digital sellers, as allowed under the Internet Transactions Act and related trade laws.
Platforms found ignoring the takedown directive may incur hefty administrative penalties: platform officials could face up to six years in prison and fines ranging from P2 million to P5 million, depending on the violation’s gravity
This enforcement move shines a spotlight on the responsibility of digital platforms as gatekeepers in preventing the sale of illegal or harmful goods online. It also highlights the growing scrutiny on platform liability, where operators can be held accountable—not just the individual sellers—if non-compliant products slip through. This directive positions the DTI as a pivotal player in shaping the digital regulatory environment in the Philippines, particularly concerning controlled consumer goods. The message is clear: e-commerce platforms must ensure compliance or risk legal fallout—and fast.
READ MORE TECH AND GOVERNANCE NEWS.
