Events
A raffle at the booth, a spin-the-wheel game, a “buy two, win a phone” line on the standee. At a brand activation these feel like engagement ideas. Under Philippine law, many of them are sales promotions, and a sales promotion needs a national permit before anyone draws a winner. It is the permit event plans most often miss, because the city does not issue it.
What counts as a sales promotion
The Consumer Act defines it in Article 4 as “techniques intended for broad consumer participation which contain promises of gain such as prizes, in cash or in kind, as reward for the purchase of a product”, or for winning a contest or game, using mass media or other widespread media. The DTI’s guide lists the usual forms:
| Type | What it looks like at an activation |
| Raffle | A receipt-based draw at the booth, or an electronic draw from a database of entries |
| Game | A structured activity with a prize: answering questions, a physical challenge |
| Contest | A competition judged against criteria, such as a photo challenge |
| Premium | A gift, another product or a service with a purchase, free or at a reduced price |
| Discount | A reduction on the usual price |
| Redemption | Prizes or rewards for holders of winning entry forms or proof of purchase |
The city is a separate layer. In Makati a raffle also needs a barangay permit or a certification from the venue; our guide to special event permits covers that side.
DTI or FDA: who issues it
It depends on the product. Article 109 puts the DTI in charge of sales promotions, “Provided, That with respect to food, drugs, cosmetics, devices and hazardous substances, it shall be enforced by the Department of Health.” In practice that is the Food and Drug Administration, which issues Sales Promotion Permits under Article 116. A snack or beverage promo goes to the FDA; an appliance or telco promo goes to the DTI. One promotion is not allowed at all: a raffle or reward that uses medical prescriptions.
For DTI permits, the office depends on where the promo runs:
| Where the promo runs | Where to file |
| One province | The DTI Provincial Office |
| Several provinces in one region | The DTI Regional Office |
| Metro Manila, several regions including it, or nationwide | The Sales Promotion Division of the DTI Fair Trade Enforcement Bureau |
| Several regions outside Metro Manila | The DTI Regional Office where the sponsor or its coordinating office is located |
Thirty days, and nothing before the permit
→ File at least 30 days out. Article 116 requires the permit “at least thirty (30) calendar days prior to the commencement” of the promotion. Under the DTI’s rules, “an incomplete application shall be deemed not filed”, so the clock only starts when the file is complete.
→ Silence counts as approval, eventually. The Act deems an application approved if no objection or denial arrives within 15 days. The DTI’s implementing rules, as amended in 2010, treat an application not acted on within 10 days of receipt as approved. Either way, the promo starts on the date in the application.
→ Nothing runs early. “No person shall conduct any covered promotional campaign or activity prior to the issuance of the DTI permit,” under DTI Administrative Order 10-02.
The planning rule
If the activation brief has a raffle, a game with prizes or a contest in it, the promo permit is on the critical path. Count back 30 days from the first day of the promo, then add the time it takes to finish the mechanics, the entry forms and the prize list, because the application does not exist until it is complete.
What the application has to say
Administrative Order 10-02 lists what the application must contain. These are the items that shape the activation itself:
→ The mechanics. How to join, how to win, and the criteria, if any. Write them before the booth design is final; they decide what the booth has to hold.
→ The entry forms and how winners are picked. Stubs, a database, an app. For raffles run electronically, DTI offices “check the program software source code and the database for prizes” before approving the promo.
→ The prizes. Each prize and its amount, or its brand, model and market value if it is in kind, and whether it can be converted to cash.
→ Taxes and claiming. Who shoulders the tax on winnings, what ID winners need, where they claim, and a claim period of not less than 60 days.
→ Who files. The brand whose product is promoted. An agency filing on its behalf needs a Special Power of Attorney or a Secretary’s Certificate.
On the day, and after
→ State the terms everywhere. A promotion for broad participation that uses mass media “shall indicate the duration, commencement and termination of the promotion, the deadline for submission of entries and the governing criteria”, under Article 118. That includes the standee, the posts and the host’s script.
→ Draw within 14 days of the entry deadline. The draw date may not be more than 14 days after the deadline for entries.
→ Have the draw witnessed. Under Article 121, winners “shall be verified by a representative of the concerned department and the sponsor”, and the list of winners with their prizes goes to that department.
→ Announce within two weeks. Winners are announced the same way the promo was, not later than two weeks after the draw, with a newspaper notice if the promo is national. For prizes of ₱500 or more, winners are also notified in writing, with proof of notice.
Skipping the permit is an offence: Article 123 sets a fine of ₱200 to ₱600 or imprisonment of one to six months, or both, and the department can suspend the promo’s publicity under Article 117. The larger cost is a campaign pulled mid-run.
What does not need a permit
The DTI’s rules exempt in-store promotions, “such as but not limited to price reduction, special offers, product demonstration, product samples, rebates, premium-in-pack”. But they define in-store narrowly: a promotion inside the retailer’s store with no advertisement or public announcement, including signage visible from outside. A sampling table inside a supermarket may qualify. The same sampling promoted on social media may not. Exempt promotions still follow every other sales promotion rule.
General information, not legal advice. Fees, forms and office assignments change; confirm with the DTI or FDA office that will handle your application.
Where PUNX fits
PUNX runs corporate events and brand activations from Makati: 50-plus people, founded 2023, with P&G, San Miguel, Petron, GCash and Sun Life on the client list. Ask any events agency in the Philippines when the promo permit gets filed. The answer tells you whether the raffle was planned or added at the last minute.
FAQ
Do you need a DTI permit for a raffle at an event?
If the raffle is a sales promotion, yes: a prize draw tied to buying a product, or a contest or game with prizes, announced to the public. The permit must be secured at least 30 days before the promo starts. Food, drugs, cosmetics, devices and hazardous substances go to the FDA instead, and the city may require its own permit as well.
How long does a sales promotion permit take?
File a complete application at least 30 days before the promo starts. Under the DTI’s rules, an incomplete application is deemed not filed, and an application not acted on within 10 days of receipt is considered approved. No covered promo may run before the permit is issued.
Which DTI office issues a sales promotion permit?
It depends on where the promo runs. One province goes to the DTI Provincial Office, several provinces in one region to the Regional Office, and Metro Manila, multi-region or nationwide promos to the Sales Promotion Division of the Fair Trade Enforcement Bureau.
Which promotions do not need a permit?
In-store promotions such as price reductions, special offers, product demonstrations, samples, rebates and premium-in-pack, held inside the retailer’s store with no advertisement or public announcement. They still have to follow the other sales promotion rules.
Related
Brand activation and events — what PUNX runs, and how
Special event permits — what the city asks for
Event RFP template — what to send before you compare quotes
Promo in the brief?
Send us the mechanics and the dates. We will tell you which permits it needs and when each one has to be filed.
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