ILOILO City – A consumers’ welfare advocacy group in Panay Island is urging the government to freeze the prices of basic goods and prime commodities to help unburden the public still reeling from the adverse economic effects of the coronavirus disease pandemic and the incessant increase in the prices of fuel.
According to the Panay Consumers Alliance (PCA), current conditions hurt most especially the small income earners and daily wage laborers.
“Daku gid nga palas-anon ang grabe nga pagtimbuok sang presyo sang mga nagapanguna nga mga balaklon,” said Lucy Francisco, PCA spokesperson.
Under Republic Act No. 7581 or the Price Act, the government must make sure basic necessities and prime commodities are available at reasonable prices, especially during emergency situations.
Daily wage laborers constantly struggle to meet their family’s daily needs, lamented Francisco.
Basic commodities include items such as rice, corn, bread, fresh dried and canned fish, fresh pork, beef, and poultry meat, fresh eggs, fresh and processed milk, fresh vegetables, sugar, cooking oil, salt, laundry soap, coffee, instant noodles, bottled water, candles as well as and drugs classified as essentials by the Department of Health. Prime commodities include meat loaf, beef loaf, corned beef, soy sauce, vinegar, fish sauce, toilet soap, and battery.
Just recently, there were increases in the prices of, among others, sugar, eggs, bread, oil, and even fish vegetables.
Aside from the price freeze, the PCA is also calling on the government to subsidize micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises.
“Wala labot sang price freeze, dapat i-monitor man sang government ang source gid nga-a nagatimbuok ini nga presyo sang mga nagapanguna nga mga balaklon. Pigado na ta, indi pa stable ang income, so stranded gid kita sa aton palangubuhian,” Francisco said.
She also emphasized that all of this has a domino effect on the health and education especially of children.
Francisco said they also continue to appeal to the government to give P10,000 additional cash assistance to families.
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Iloilo told retailers early this week to follow the suggested retail price (SRP) for school supplies.
DTI finally released the SRP table for school supplies in preparation for the resumption of classes.
The SRP table serves as a guide for consumers in comparing prices when purchasing school products in the market.
Classes in public elementary and high schools for school year 2022 – 2023 officially resume on Aug. 22. But some private schools have started as early as last week.
To ensure that retailers comply with the SRP, there will be weekly monitoring, according to DTI-Iloilo director Felisa Judith Degala.
Non-compliant retailers – those whose prices go beyond the SRP – will be getting letters of inquiry (LOI) from DTI. They would be asked to explain their prices. Manufacturers may also be questioned.
Republic Act No. 7581 or the Price Act is a law which provides protection to consumers by stabilizing prices and providing measures against undue price increases during emergency situations like the current coronavirus disease pandemic.
Those found selling at prices grossly in excess of the items’ true worth could be charged with profiteering or illegal price manipulation.
Another law that protects consumers is Republic Act No. 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act. It enumerates the punishable offenses during the COVID-19 national emergency. Among the offenses punishable under this law is hoarding, profiteering, cartel, and price manipulations./PN
