Authorities say prices stay despite the eVAT

Prices of goods and commodities in the region have not increased despite the implementation of the Expanded Value Added Tax or eVAT, according to the Department of Trade and Industry and the National Meat Inspection Service regional offices.

DTI-Cebu Trade and Industry Section chief Zaide Bation said they have been monitoring every week the prices of these products sold in big and small markets in the city, since shortly before the eVAT enforcement until now.

"We have been monitoring and we noticed that prices have not changed or are still the same. Some have increased but it has not exceeded the prevailing price or the usual price in the market," Bation said.

Bation cited a can of sardines, which was priced at P9.75 last October 27 before the eVAT and has still retained such price today; a pack of coffee is still priced at P16.25 while a pack of powdered milk remained at P37.50.

National Meat Inspection Service regional director Romeo Capa, for his part, also said the prices of meat remained stable, and had even decreased.

Capa said beef price stayed at P170 per kilo, while chicken meat price dropped from P100 last October to the current P95, and pork from P142 per kilo last November 3 down to P140 last November 16.

Capa explained that the inconsistency of prices of meat products is merely due to the law of supply and demand.

Both the NMIS and DTI said they would keep on a constant monitoring of prices of products sold in the local markets to ensure that retailers would not abuse or take advantage of the e-VAT.

They also urged local governments to activate their respective local price coordinating council to help monitor the movement of prices in the market. - Jasmin R. Uy