The Philippines has recently become the newest member of the Asia-Pacific Trustmark Alliance (ATA), an association that certifies a website credentials to ensure a safe environment for consumers to conduct their transactions online.

The membership of Qartas Corporation in ATA, which was launched during a signing ceremony held in Tokyo, Japan on 27 November 2009, was witnessed by Director Maria Lourdes A. Yaptinchay of the E-Commerce Office (ECO) of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). Qartas Corporation is the owner of the Sure Seal trustmark.

The country’s membership in the ATA has put in the Philippines in the ranks of economies with trustmark organizations.

Yaptinchay noted that as trust issues on the web continue to be pervasive, there is a growing need for trustmarks on websites to make online transactions more reliable and trustworthy.

In the Philippines, Sure Seal is the first and only trustmark to date.

According to Yaptinchay, Sure Seal is the first business verification service for online businesses in the country that certifies a website’s credentials, ensuring that the website provides a safe environment for businesses and consumers alike to transact with.