JAO 22-01: Guidelines for Online Businesses Reiterating the Laws and Regulations Applicable to Online Businesses and Consumers

On March 24, 2022, the DTI together with the Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Intellectual Property of the Philippines (IPOPHL), and National Privacy Commission (NPC) issued a Joint Administrative Order No. 22-01 reiterating existing laws and regulations that online businesses must adhere to.

The JAO 22-01 aims to increase consumer confidence in business-to-consumer (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce transactions. It seeks to ensure that e-Commerce platforms, electronic retailers (e-retailers), and online merchants are properly guided about the rules, regulations, and responsibilities in the conduct of their online business, considering the need to protect consumers against deceptive, unfair, and unconscionable sales acts and prices. Moreover, the purpose of this JAO is to ensure that online consumers are informed of their rights and the mechanisms for redress.