The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has pushed back the registration deadline for online businesses under the E-Commerce Philippine Trustmark program to December 31, 2025, extending it from the original September 30 cutoff.
DTI secretary Cristina A. Roque said the extension reflects the agency’s effort to balance consumer protection with business growth.
“The Trustmark is not meant to burden businesses. It is designed to protect legitimate enterprises from scammers who erode consumer confidence. By making it easier for buyers to identify trustworthy sellers, we allow entrepreneurs to focus on growing their business,” Roque said.
The Trustmark system, established under Republic Act No. 119607 or the Internet Transactions Act of 2023, requires online merchants and digital platforms to register with DTI’s E-Commerce Bureau (ECB).
Registered businesses will be listed in an Online Business Database that consumers can use to verify the legitimacy of sellers.
To ease compliance for small firms, DTI reiterated that Barangay Micro Business Enterprises (BMBEs) — those with total assets of ₱3 million or less — are exempted from the ₱1,000 registration fee.
Enterprises with assets of up to ₱15 million will be charged only half the fee, plus a ₱100 Web administration fee and a ₱30 documentary stamp tax. Specific guidelines will be issued separately.
DTI’s ECB noted that the mandatory registration aims to strengthen the credibility of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), while also requiring businesses to provide complete and accurate information, secure the necessary permits and licenses, and establish consumer complaint mechanisms.
Roque also directed the bureau to consider incentives for businesses that registered ahead of the original Sept. 30 deadline, as well as the possible extension of the Trustmark’s one-year validity period.
DTI issued Department Administrative Order (DAO) No. 25-12 on Sept. 4 to implement the registration requirement.
From January to August 2025, the department logged more than 13,000 consumer complaints related to online transactions.
