EDITOR’S NOTE: We are publishing this official statement from Online Negosyo Empowerment Community (ONEC) in the midst of the public outcry against corruption. Concerned government agencies are welcome to send their feedbacks so we can publish as well.
As Filipinos nationwide rally against corruption and demand accountability in government spending, the Online Negosyo Empowerment Community (ONEC) — a grassroots movement of thousands of online sellers, OFWs, home-based business owners, and digital freelancers — raises urgent concerns over redundant regulations, rising platform fees, and policies that disproportionately burden small entrepreneurs.
Led by its Convenor Anna Magkawas, Online Negosyo asserts that the same systemic issues the public is protesting — inefficiency, unnecessary bureaucracy, and policies that harm the ordinary Filipino — are also evident in the way small online businesses are being regulated and charged today.
“Economic oppression is also a form of corruption. When policies and fees drain the livelihood of ordinary sellers, families suffer. And we must speak up.” — Online Negosyo
A COMMUNITY COMMITTED TO EMPOWERMENT, EDUCATION & ETHICAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Online Negosyo is an independent, non-partisan movement dedicated to empowering Filipino online sellers. It conducts free online and on-ground capacity-building programs, covering: business management and operations digital marketing product handling and compliance financial literacy ethical business practices seller upskilling and responsible entrepreneurship These initiatives strengthen the country’s digital MSMEs and help protect sellers from exploitation and misinformation — all funded and organized within the community itself.
COORDINATION WITH THE E-COMMERCE PROMOTIONS COUNCIL OF THE PHILIPPINES
To ensure that industry issues are properly surfaced, Online Negosyo also coordinates with the E-Commerce Promotions Council of the Philippines, a multi-stakeholder advisory council composed of: private-sector representatives digital platforms industry associations consumer groups advocacy leaders and e-commerce practitioners The Council serves as a venue for collective discussions, policy recommendations, and unified advocacy for a fair and future-ready e-commerce landscape. This coordination allows both Online Negosyo and the Council to address industry-wide concerns in a unified, transparent, and evidence-based manner.
THE TRUSTMARK ISSUE: SUPPORTING CONSUMER PROTECTION WHILE REJECTING REDUNDANT REQUIREMENTS
Online Negosyo emphasizes its full support for consumer protection and the fight against online scams. However, the community stresses that the current Trustmark proposal is redundant, duplicative, and risks becoming burdensome if made mandatory.
Existing systems already safeguard consumers:
- Consumer Protection Laws
- National product standards FDA and related certifications
- Intellectual Property rights enforcement
- Platform verification and penalties
- Tax and business registration requirements
“The problem is not a lack of policies — it is the lack of enforcement. Trustmark, as currently proposed, repeats what already exists.”
Currently voluntary until December 31, there is concern that Trustmark may be turned mandatory or required by platforms. Online Negosyo calls for the following:
- Trustmark must remain permanently voluntary
- Platforms must not be allowed to require it as a condition for selling
- It should be aspirational, not punitive
- It must be private-sector-led, not another bureaucratic layer
- Government must focus on enforcing existing laws, not creating new redundancies
Making Trustmark mandatory would directly contradict the push for transparency, efficiency, and simplicity — the very values Filipinos are demanding in the streets today.
P5 PLATFORM PROCESSING FEE: A NEW BURDEN REQUIRING EXPLANATION
Online Negosyo is raising serious concern over the new P5 processing fee being imposed by major platforms. Micro-entrepreneurs already face:
- rising cost of goods
- expensive logistics fees
- packaging and operational costs
- inflationary pressures tax obligations
For many, their margins have shrunk to almost nothing. Online Negosyo demands immediate action:
- Full transparency on how the fee was calculated
- Clear justification for imposing it
- A review of fairness for micro-sellers
- Consideration to reduce the fee to less than P1
“Transparency is part of accountability. No fee should be imposed without clear explanation and public justification.”
A CALL FOR ACCOUNTABILITY, GOOD GOVERNANCE & A FAIR DIGITAL FUTURE With corruption scandals and public outrage unfolding nationwide, Online Negosyo stresses that burdensome, redundant, or poorly designed e-commerce policies are also forms of harm toward ordinary Filipinos. When policies: (1) penalize micro-entrepreneurs, (2) duplicate existing requirements, (3) add unnecessary costs, and (4) make compliance harder or benefit only large players.
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