MANILA – Price hikes were seen in over fifty kinds of basic goods relative to the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) list of suggested retail prices.
Several brands of canned sardines saw P0.40 increase to P1.30.
Condensed and evaporated milk also saw a P0.50 to P1.20.
Prices of some brands of detergents rose by P0.75, and even table salt was up by P2.20, while other condiments increased by P0.30 to P1.25.
DTI assistant director Lilian Salonga explained that the price increases were due to the increased cost of raw materials.
“Ang sardinas, ang kaniyang prime component of course is tamban. Ito ay nagkaroon ng pagtaas ng 35 percent to 37 kasama na rin ang kanilang ingredients… tinitingnan natin na reasonable ang bawat adjustment. To the centavo kino-compute namin ‘yan,” Salonga said.
On average, the increase in the prices of basic commodities in February was seven percent.
The consumer welfare advocacy group Laban Konsyumer, for its part, said that the government should not have allowed such increases.
“Mayroong maximum six to 12 percent inflation or increase from the old SRP nung December. Napakalaki ‘yan,” Laban Konsyumer president Vic Dimagiba argued.
The DTI, however, noted that manufacturers shouldered most of the burden from last year’s spike in petroleum product prices.
“Ang mga prime commodities lalo na non-agricultural manufactured goods ay hindi ito umi-increase ng even one percent so makikita natin kung ito man ay nag-adjust ng panahong ito hindi ito makaka-contribute ng malaki,” Salonga countered. (GMA News)
