Discount vouchers or coupons offered by some websites are not covered by the national government regulations on the issuance of gift certificates, cheques and cards, a Department of Trade and Industry official clarified Friday. Director Vic Dimagiba of the DTI Bureau of Trade Regulation and Consumer Protection said the discount vouchers of websites “apply separately for promo permit with DTI.” The DTI issued the clarification about two weeks into the implementation of its Department Administrative Order 10-04, which prohibits businesses from issuing gift checks, gift certificates or gift cards with expiry dates. “Years ago, we received complaints that gift check holders were forced to use it [gift checks] because there are expiry dates,” DTI undersecretary Zeny Maglaya told GMA News Online in a phone interview on Friday. “[Gift certificates] are already paid instruments that are good as equivalent to cash. It should be use as a legal tender [without expiration],” Dimagiba said Maglaya said retailers were given ample time of two years to prepare for the implementation of the DTI regulations. There is an exception. The DTI said businesses may issue gift certificates with expiry dates if the GCs are part of rewards, loyalty or promotional programs. Holders of unused and unexpired gift check/ certificates/ cards after June 30, 2012 shall be entitled to replacement of a non-expiring gift card after revalidation by suppliers, the DAO 10-04 said. With the new directive, the DTI Undersecretary added that suppliers should improve the security features of their gift certificates to avoid fraud and counterfeit. “They should publish notices to the public [that they will be issuing new gifts cards] to make sure that the consumers will not be victims of fraud or counterfeit,” she said. — ELR, GMA News