ANTIQUE – Following the declaration of a state of calamity due to African swine fever (ASF) in San Jose de Buenavista, the capital town of Antique, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) imposed an Automatic Price Control (APC) for basic necessities.
The APC will be enforced for 60 days in accordance with Republic Act 7581, also known as the Price Act of the Philippines.
The basic necessities include canned sardines, processed milk, coffee, detergent or laundry soap, candles, salt, bread, bottled water, and instant noodles.
The imposed APC is based on the prevailing prices of commodities monitored before declaring the state of calamity.
“Daily monitoring will be consistently conducted to ensure the compliance of retailers and safeguard the welfare of consumers,” said Arnel Oliveros of DTI-Antique.
On July 24, the Sangguniang Bayan approved Resolution No. 223, Series of 2023, putting San Jose de Buenavista under a state of calamity.
ASF has affected 21 out of 28 barangays in the town. Reported swine deaths reached 1,355 heads, affecting about 244 hog raisers and causing more than P14 million in damages, the latest record of the Office of the Provincial Veterinarian (ProVet) showed.
Antique ProVet also reported more than P57 million in damages and around 6,000 swine deaths from the towns of Hamtic, San Jose, Belison, and Sibalom, including the Antique Swine Production and Artificial Insemination Center located in Barangay Pangpang, Sibalom.
Hamtic was the first town in the province hit by ASF sometime in May, with more than P42 million in damage. (With a report from the Philippine Information Agency)/PN
