Gift Certificates/Checks/Cards

Are you an issuer and/or user of GCs in the Philippines?  This stands for gift certificates, gift cards or gift checks.  Starting July 1, 2012, under the Department of Trade and Industry Administrative Order No. 10-04 Series of 2010, expiration dates for gift checks/cards/checks will no longer be applicable to these GCs. 

Section 2 of said Administrative Order defines gift checks/cards/certificates as : instruments issued by a supplier to an individual, partnership or a juridical entity for monetary consideration, evidencing a promise by the issuer that consumer goods or services will be exchanged in favor of the bearer upon presentation of said gift certificate/check/card to the value, credit, specific good, service or event shown in the instrument. All gift checks/certificates/cards with no expiry dates shall be redeemable until used up by the bearer.

Suppliers may refuse to honor gift certificates/checks/cards, under  Section 4 given the following circumstances:

(a) When the gift certificate/check/card is lost due to no fault of the supplier; and

(b) When the gift certificate/check/card is mutilated or defaced due to  no fault of the supplier and such damage prevents the supplier from identifying the security and authenticity features thereof.

However, those not covered are gift certificates/checks/cards that are distributed to consumers under awards, loyalty, or promotional programs, according to  Section 5 of the Administrative Order.

Under Section 6, holders of unused gift checks/certificates/cards issued before the order’s effectivity should be honored, but those bearing expiry dates beyond June 30 should be subject to revalidation or replacement.

This department issuance is pursuant to Chapter I, Title III, Article 52 of Republic Act No. 7394 or the Consumer Act of the Philippines and Title X, Book IV of the Administrative Code of 1987 (Executive Order No. 292, Series 1987).

 

Related Links:

 A. Philippine Laws (URL Websites):

  1. Republic Act No. 7394 or the

Consumer Act of the Philippines

On-line Official Gazette)

http://www.gov.ph/?s=Consumer+Act+of+the+Philippines

2. Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)

Administrative Orders:

DTI Administrative Order No. 10-04 Series 2010

On-line National Administrative Register)

Volume 21, number 3, July – September 2010, page 1575

http://www.google.com.ph/#hl=fil&sclient=psy-ab&q=dti+administrative+order+no.+10-04+official+gazette&oq=dti+administrative+order+no.+10-04+official+gazette&gs_l=hp.3..33i21.120.14553.0.14767.58.39.2.13.13.1.847.5911.3j26j0j3j6-2.34.0…1.0…1c.1.4q6wlNtgU0Q&Q&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&fp=eb16ecec0618eff0&bpcl=35466521&biw=1280&bih=857

A.    Newspaper Articles (URL Website):

http://pinoy-business.com/money-and-finance/no-expiry-for-gift-certificates-gift-checks-and-gift-cards