DTI: 24 Bantayan stores ‘overpricing’

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) -Cebu Province has issued 24 notices of violation to retailers in Bantayan Island caught overpricing goods included in the price freeze order.

DTI-Cebu Province Director Nelia Navarro said their price monitoring team observed 11 hardware and 40 retail stores in Bantayan Island to identify those who did not obey the order.

“These violators have already undergone due process and they have committed to follow the price freeze,” she said, in a press statement.

Zaide Bati-on, chief of the DTI-Cebu Province consumer welfare and business regulation unit, noted a P0.50 to P1 overpricing among the 24 retail stores inside and within the vicinity of public markets in the towns of Bantayan, Sta. Fe and Madridejos.

“Immediately, we asked them to lower their prices. Although, we understand nga mahal sad daw ang ilang kuha,” Bati-on said.

She said the local government units of the three towns have informed retailers a day after the typhoon not to jack up their prices.

The DTI team monitored the prices of coffee, processed milk, canned goods (sardines only and a specific brand), and detergent bar, which were included in the price freeze.

Bati-on said prices of hardware products in the island would be compared to that in Cebu City.

Navarro, though, clarified that the price freeze covers only basic goods and does not include construction materials.

DTI-7 Director Asteria Caberte, on the other hand, said her office continues to monitor the prices and supply of basic necessities in the region to ensure that the price freeze is being followed and that region has adequate supply of basic goods.

She said that under the Price Act, the basic necessities assigned to the DTI to monitor include canned fish and other marine products, processed milk, coffee, laundry soap, detergents, candles, bread, and salt.

For other basic necessities, the Department of Agriculture’s jurisdiction is on rice, corn, cooking oil, fresh eggs, fresh pork/ beef and poultry meat, fresh milk, fresh vegetables, root crops, sugar, fresh/ dried and other marine products.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources is responsible for firewood and charcoal; while the Department of Health (DOH) is tasked to monitor drugs it classified as essential.— (FREEMAN)