Flashcards Studio

DTI issues Administrative Regulation No. DTI-AR-2026-02, “Standards for Online Price Tagging in Retail Stores.” The regulation requires: (i) every store to display price tags with a QR code linking to product information; (ii) daily synchronization of price data to DTI; (iii) data retention for two years; and (iv) penalties for noncompliance. Publication of DTI-AR-2026-02 appeared only on the DTI website and via a department press release, not in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. No public hearing or notice was given before adoption. The enabling statute authorizes DTI to “prescribe rules and regulations to protect consumers and promote fair trade” but is silent on publication and hearing requirements. A retailer challenges the regulation on two grounds: (a) ultra vires for exceeding the statute; (b) invalid for lack of proper publication and due process. (a) Identify the requisites for validity of quasi-legislative rules. (b) Apply these requisites to DTI-AR-2026-02 and decide whether it is valid; explain which requisites are met or lacking and why. (c) If invalid, describe the remedy and whether severability may save any portions.