Construction materials Suppliers assure no price increase

CEBU, Philippines - Manufacturers and suppliers yesterday assured the public, especially those in typhoon-hit areas of the Visayas, that there would be no price increase of construction materials and that there is enough supply until December.

They made the assurance to Cebu City Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella, who requested a meeting with representatives of hardware and home suppliers to appeal for a price freeze in consideration of the typhoon victims, who are slowly rebuilding their homes damaged or destroyed by super typhoon Yolanda.

In attendance during the meeting were key officials of Vic Enterprises, Joyland Industry Corporation, Atlantic Hardware, Cebu Home & Builder, Cebu

Home Center, and COHCI, who supplies housing materials in the Visayas and Mindanao.

“Ato silang gipatawag to appeal to them as their corporate social responsibility to not take advantage of the situation where housing materials are in demand. And we are thankful that they gave us the assurance that prices of the supply that they have as of the moment will not increase,” Labella said.

The vice mayor said several groups of concerned foreign private individuals, including Koreans, Germans, and Japanese, have asked him on what specific help they could extend to typhoon-ravaged areas.

He said he told them that beyond relief goods, the victims most need housing materials so that they can rebuild their homes and go back to their normal lives, especially with just 28 days from now.

Joyland Industry Corporation representative Edna Tan gave her word to the City Government as well as to consumers that they would not increase prices.

“There will be no price increase until the end of December. Based on initial discussion, all suppliers are cooperative enough to understand the situation,” Tan told reporters after the meeting with Labella.

She, however, cautioned that they could not vouch for the prices next year, as they would be based on the international market of raw materials, which are mostly Asian countries, particularly China.

“Prices are also dependent on the operating cost like the power, manpower, labor, wages. We understand that (price freeze) as part of our corporate social responsibility,”  Tan said.

“As much as possible the prices should not be a burden to the victims,” she added.

Prices of construction materials are affected both by the Oct. 15 earthquake that damaged structures in Bohol and Cebu and the Nov. 8 super typhoon that destroyed more structures in Cebu and other parts of the Visayas region.

“With the earthquake, there was already movement in terms of housing

materials. We are trying our best to have enough resources until December as we are constantly checking on the inventory of supplies,” Tan said.

Local suppliers have already met last Nov. 20 to ensure that no establishment would increase prices and to make sure there is no hoarding of supplies to create an artificial lack.

Labella had just returned after personally distributing financial assistance to typhoon-stricken areas in Iloilo, Capiz and Negros Occidental.

The three provinces each received P500,000 from the Cebu City Government.

“Aside from the ones cited in the news, badly-hit in the province of Negros Occidental is Cadiz, Estancia and San Dionesio in Iloilo, as well as Roxas City and Pilar town in Capiz. Mapasalamaton kaayo sila

sa tabang gikan sa Cebu. I think we are the only LGU that extended help these areas,” Labella said.

In addition, he said the oil spill in Estancia, Iloilo is “worse than the one we had in Cordova,” referring to the spill as a result of the sinking of MV St. Thomas Aquinas August this year.

“Like Cebu, they also tapped the same private firm to siphon the oil.  We also suggested some things that we have done, including the use of oil spill boom,” Labella said.— (FREEMAN)