DTI extends Trustmark deadline, waives fees for micro firms

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has extended the registration deadline for online businesses under the E-Commerce Philippine Trustmark system to December 31, 2025.

This pushes back the original cut-off date of September 30 by three months to give entrepreneurs more time to comply.

Trade Secretary Cristina A. Roque said the extension reflects DTI’s efforts to protect consumers while supporting the growth of online businesses.

“The Trustmark is not a regulation to burden businesses but to serve as a tool that shields legitimate enterprises from scammers who undermine consumer confidence,” Roque said.

“Our aim is to make it simpler for consumers to identify and trust legitimate sellers, so entrepreneurs can focus on what truly matters—growing their business,” she added.

To ease the cost burden on small players, DTI confirmed that Barangay Micro Business Enterprises (BMBEs), or businesses with assets of PHP 3,000,000 or less, are exempt from the PHP 1,000 registration fee.

Other small businesses with assets of up to PHP 15,000,000 will pay only half the standard fee, plus a PHP 100 web administration charge and PHP 30 for documentary stamp tax.

Further instructions on fee structure and procedures will be issued separately by the agency.

DTI’s E-Commerce Bureau (ECB) said the mandatory registration requirement is part of a wider push to enhance consumer trust in digital marketplaces.

The Trustmark system enables consumers to verify businesses via the Online Business Database, which confirms whether a seller is legitimate, accountable, and officially recognized by the DTI.

Secretary Roque also directed the ECB to consider incentives for businesses that registered before the original September 30 deadline.

She asked the Bureau to study the possibility of extending the Trustmark’s one-year validity to further support early registrants.

The policy is anchored on Department Administrative Order (DAO) No. 25-12, issued on September 4, which implements Republic Act No. 119607, or the Internet Transactions Act of 2023.

The law authorizes the DTI to regulate online commerce, requiring both digital platforms and individual merchants to register with the ECB.

Registered entities must submit full business disclosures, valid licenses, and provide responsive customer complaint channels.

From January to August 2025, DTI recorded more than 13,000 complaints related to online transactions.

The ECB can be reached at trustmark@dti.gov.ph or by phone at (+632) 7791.3282 for further inquiries.