THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is strictly monitoring all business establishments to ensure they comply with the prize freeze that took effect following the declaration of martial law in Mindanao last May 23.
DTI Provincial Director Ceferino Rubio said they have organized three monitoring teams to ensure compliance of the prize freeze order.
Rubio said each of the three monitoring teams have designated areas in the growth centers, which are east coast, west coast and central, of this city to watch the prizes of basic and prime commodities.
He said that so far they have not encounter any violation of the price freeze order the enforcement of which “is continuing until after the martial law.”
The prize freeze is pursuant to Republic Act (RA) 7581 otherwise known as the Price Act of the Philippines, which states that automatic price control shall take effect in areas declared under State of Calamity, State of Emergency, State of Rebellion, State of War, and suspension of the privilege of writ of habeas corpus.
The basic commodities stipulated under RA 7581 are rice, corn, cooking oil, fresh, dried fish and other marine products, fresh eggs, fresh pork, beef and poultry meat, fresh and processed milk, fresh vegetables, root crops, sugar, canned fish, and other processed marine products, coffee, laundry soap, detergent, candles, bread, salt, drugs classified as essential by Department of Health, firewood, and charcoal.
The prime commodities include fresh fruits, dried pork, dried beef and poultry meat, fresh dairy products not falling under basic commodities, onions and garlic, fertilizer, pesticides and herbicides, poultry, swine and cattle feeds, veterinary products for poultry, swine and cattle, drugs not classified as essential by Department of Health, plywood, ply board, nipa shingles, sawali, flour, processed and canned pork, processed and canned beef and poultry meat, noodles, vinegar, patis (fish sauce), soy sauce, toilet soap, paper and school supplies, cement, clinker and galvanized iron sheets, hollow blocks, construction nails, batteries, electrical supplies and light bulbs, and steel wires.
Violation of RA 7581 is punishable by imprisonment of not less than a year, but not more than 10 years.
Penalties shall also be imposed on violators starting from P5,000 to P1 million under Rule XII of RA 7581, depending on the gravity of the violation.
Rubio said they will come up with poster size information material concerning the prize freeze to be posted in villages halls “so that the residents will be properly informed.” (Bong Garcia/VoxPop Philippines)