LA CARLOTA CITY – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Negros Island Region (NIR) is publishing today its order to implement prize freeze among basic necessities in the region, including Negros Occidental, but recommends lifting it soon, if needed.
DTI-NIR Director Asteria Caberte, who led the launching of the Negosyo Center in this city yesterday, said there is no pressing need yet to declare a price freeze in Negros Occidental as local price behavior remains steady.
However, with the recent declaration of state of national emergency by President Rodrigo Duterte, under the Price Act, price control for basic necessities is automatic. The national emergency was declared last September 5.
DTI-Negros Occidental, however, had earlier said that it has yet to collate the data for automatic price ceiling (APC) approval to implement a price freeze.
“Under price freeze, the price levels of all basic necessities are frozen at the prevailing price thus, there should no increases until the state of emergency declaration is lifted,” Caberte said.
Basic necessities covered by the price control include canned sardines, processed milk, coffee, instant noodles, canned goods, bottled mineral water, laundry soap, and detergent.
Based on the list of products and prices provided by DTI-Negros Occidental yesterday, prices of canned sardines among supermarkets and wet markets range from P13.45 to P14.25, depending on the brand.
For processed milk, the agency sets P51.25 to P60 for condensed milk; evaporated milk, P37.50 to P52.60; and powdered filled milk, P45.75 to P57.10.
Prices of coffee range from P16.75 to P38.95, depending on net weight and brand; detergent, P17.50 to P19.55 per 400 grams; and instant noodles, P6.60 to P7.10 per 55 grams.
Bottled water, which is newly-classified as basic necessity, range from P7.25 to P81, depending on volume and brand.
“These are not suggested retail prices, but mandatory ceiling instead. Retailers should still maintain the standard retailing price of other basic goods that are not on the list,” Caberte added.
Violators may be fined up to P1 million, or an imprisonment of a maximum of 10 years.
Moreover, while the price control takes effect, the DTI is closely monitoring the price behavior for the basis to immediately lift the mandatory ceiling.
“We hope that we can lift this the soonest, earlier than that of the state of national emergency,” Caberte added.
