Consumer Rights

 The right to basic needs.

This is your right to have access to basic and essential goods and services, such as adequate food, clothing, shelter,
health care, education, public utilities, water, and sanitation. This right also reminds you to prioritize your needs over
luxuries or unnecessary wants and focus on the quality of goods and services, rather than the brand, high price, and
quantity.
 The right to safety.
This is your right to be protected against the marketing of goods or provision of services that are hazardous to your
health and life. You can read first the label of a certain product to see its precautions, warning signs, expiration date,
and PS (Philippine Standard) or ICC (Import Commodity Clearance) marks. If needed, you can also ask for a
professional consultant to learn more about a product.
 The right to information.
This is your right to be given the facts you need to make informed choices and be protected against dishonest or
misleading advertising and labelling. Before purchasing a product, you can read its label carefully to know its use,
content, number of pieces, proper handling, and manufacturer. Also, before signing waivers, warranties, or service
contracts, it helps that you understand all the provisions written in them.
 The right to choose.
This is your right to select from a range of goods and services at competitive prices with an assurance of satisfactory
quality. You can always canvass for prices of similar or wide array of goods and services offered in the market before
purchasing.
 The right to representation.
This is your right to express your interests as a consumer in the making and execution of government policies. You
can attend public hearings or meetings regarding consumer issues to be aware of how consumer laws and regulations
are being implemented in your area.
 The right to redress.
This is your right to be compensated for misrepresentation, shoddy goods, or unsatisfactory services. In case you have
bought a defective product, you can return to the store, look for Consumer Welfare Desk, and request a replacement,
refund, or repair of the product.
 The right to consumer education.
This is your right to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to be an informed consumer. You can read
newspapers, magazines, and other materials that may educate you on how to get the best value for your money. You
can also participate in seminars, conferences, and fora regarding consumer products, new concepts, and
developments, which are conducted by government agencies, consumer groups, and business or industry sector.
 The right to a healthy environment.
This is your right to live and work in an environment that is neither threatening nor dangerous but rather permits a life
of dignity and well-being. The government then must play its role in enforcing environmental and sanitation laws on
factories, stores, and shops; while you need to reduce, reuse, and recycle the waste from your consumption.

# Rights Responsibility

1 Right to be heard 1. Ensure that the company has provided you the contact details of the consumer
grievance handling system and are easily accessible.
2. Avoid purchase of products/services from a company which do not provide
details of the consumer grievance officers to handle consumer grievances
 2 Right to Redress 1. Ignoring the loss suffered on purchase of defective goods and services and not
filing complaint encourages the corrupt business man to supply low standards or
defective goods and services. Therefor file a complaint even for a small loss.
File only a genuine complaint.
2. Consumer must file a complaint if not satisfied with the quality of
product/services.
3. Claim the penalties/compensation as provided under rules and regulations to
ensure that the quality delivery system improves.
4. Study carefully all terms and conditions related to return/replacement of
defective goods, refund and warranty policies.

3 Right to Safety 1. While purchasing the goods or services, Consumer must look for standard
quality mark such as ISI, Hallmark, Agmark, ISO, FSSAI, etc.
2. Do not buy any spurious/ fake/duplicate/ hazardous products

4 Right to Consumer Education/
Right to be Informed
1. Do not get carried away by advertisements only or believe on the words of the
seller. Consumer must look market reviews/feedback. Similarly inform offers if
product and services of companies are of substandard.
2. Consumer must insist on getting complete information on the quality,
quantity, utility, price etc. of the product or services.
3. Ask for complete contact details of the consumer grievance mechanism of the
company the consumer wish to buy from

5 Right to Choose 1. Access the information available on various alternatives available for the
product and services under purchase consideration.
2. Compare specifications, competition and fair prices of the goods and services
before finalizing on the purchase
3. Study various feedbacks/reviews of the products/services

Types of Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Mind–body therapies
These combine mental focus, breathing, and body movements to help relax the body and mind.
 meditation: focused breathing or repetition of words or phrases to quiet the mind and lessen stressful thoughts and
feelings.
 biofeedback: using special machines, the patient learns how to control certain body functions that are normally
out of one's awareness (such as heart rate and blood pressure).
 hypnosis: a trance-like state in which a person becomes more aware and focused on certain feelings, thoughts,
images, sensations or behaviors. A person may feel more calm and open to suggestion in order to aid in healing.
 yoga: ancient system of practices used to balance the mind and body through stretches and poses, meditation, and
controlled breathing
 tai chi: a form of gentle exercise and meditation that uses slow sets of body movements and controlled breathing
 imagery:  focusing on positive images in the mind, such as imagining scenes, pictures, or experiences to help the
body heal
 creative outlets: interests such as art, music, or dance
Biologically based practices
This type of CAM uses things found in nature.

 vitamins: nutrients the body needs in small amounts to function and stay healthy

 dietary supplements: products added to the diet that may contain ingredients such as vitamins, minerals,
and herbs, to name a few
 botanicals: plants or parts of plants. One type is cannabis.
1. herbs and spices such as turmeric or cinnamon
 special foods or diets

Manipulative and body-based practices

These are based on working with one or more parts of the body.

 massage therapy: a therapy where the soft tissues of the body are kneaded, rubbed, tapped, and stroked
 chiropractic therapy: a type of manipulation of the spine, joints, and skeletal system
 reflexology: a type of massage in which pressure is applied to specific points on the feet or hands, which are
believed to match up with certain parts of the body

Energy healing

Energy healing is based on the belief that a vital energy flows through the body. The goal is to balance the energy flow in
the patient. There's not enough evidence to support the existence of energy fields. However, there are no harmful effects
in using these approaches.

 reiki: placing hands lightly on or just above the person with the goal of guiding energy to help a person's own
healing response
 therapeutic touch: moving hands over energy fields of the body or gently touching a person's body

Whole medical systems

These are healing systems and beliefs that have evolved over time in different cultures and parts of the world.

 Ayurvedic medicine: a system from India in which the goal is to cleanse the body and restore balance to the body,
mind, and spirit. It uses diet, herbal medicines, exercise, meditation, breathing, physical therapy, and other
methods.
 Traditional Chinese medicine: based on the belief that qi (the body’s vital energy) flows along meridians
(channels) in the body and keeps a person’s spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical health in balance. It aims to
restore the body’s balance between two forces called yin and yang.
 Acupuncture is a common practice in Chinese medicine that involves stimulating certain points on the body to
promote health, or to lessen disease symptoms and treatment side effects.
 naturopathic medicine: a system that avoids drugs and surgery. It is based on the use of natural agents such as air,
water, light, heat and massage to help the body heal itself. It may also use herbal products, nutrition, acupuncture,
and aromatherapy.

Traditional alternative medicine. This field includes the more mainstream and accepted forms of therapy, such as
acupuncture, homeopathy, and Oriental practices. These therapies have been practiced for centuries worldwide.
Traditional alternative medicine may include:

Acupuncture
Ayurveda

Homeopathy

Naturopathy

Chinese or Oriental medicine

Body. Touch has been used in medicine since the early days of medical care. Healing by touch is based on the idea that
illness or injury in one area of the body can affect all parts of the body. If, with manual manipulation, the other parts can
be brought back to optimum health, the body can fully focus on healing at the site of injury or illness. Body techniques are
often combined with those of the mind. Examples of body therapies include:

Chiropractic and osteopathic medicine

Massage

Body movement therapies

Tai chi

Yoga

Diet and herbs. Over the centuries, man has gone from a simple diet consisting of meats, fruits, vegetables, and grains, to
a diet that often consists of foods rich in fats, oils, and complex carbohydrates. Nutritional excess and deficiency have
become problems in today's society, both leading to certain chronic diseases. Many dietary and herbal approaches attempt
to balance the body's nutritional well-being. Dietary and herbal approaches may include:

Dietary supplements

Herbal medicine

Nutrition/diet

External energy. Some people believe external energies from objects or other sources directly affect a person's health. An
example of external energy therapy is:

Electromagnetic therapy

Reiki

Qigong

Mind. Even standard or conventional medicine recognizes the power of the connection between mind and body. Studies
have found that people heal better if they have good emotional and mental health. Therapies using the mind may include:

Meditation

Biofeedback

Hypnosis

Senses. Some people believe the senses, touch, sight, hearing, smell, and taste, can affect overall health. Examples of
therapies incorporating the senses include:
Art, dance, and music

Visualization and guided imagery

Earth’s Story (story of tonight)

There are three types of plate boundaries,
It’s divergent, convergent and transform.
Divergent moves away from each other,
While convergent does the opposite
Transform slides past each other

Chorus:
There’s the continental drift theory,
Along with the seafloor spreading,
There’s also magnetic reversal.
All this about plate tectonics
Helps us understand more of history
And earth’s story a millennia ago