House OKs measure strengthening Price Act

MANILA, Philippines - The House of Representatives has approved on third and final reading a bill amending the Price Act to further protect consumers from unwarranted increases in the prices of basic commodities.

Under House Bill 4801, basic necessities refer to goods that are vital to the needs of consumers for their sustenance and existence, and prime commodities as pertaining to goods not considered as basic necessities but essential to consumers.

Aside from other basic commodities, noodles, potable water in containers, fruits and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) may also be placed under automatic price control in an area proclaimed or declared a disaster area or under a state of calamity, or declared under an emergency, where privilege of the writ of habeas corpus is suspended, under martial law, state of rebellion, or in a state of war.

Under Republic Act 7581 or the Price Act, the President, upon the recommendation of the implementing agency, or the Price Coordinating Council, may impose a price ceiling on any basic necessity or prime commodity when there is an impending or existing calamity. 

The bill provides that price ceiling may also be imposed when there is a threat, existence or effect of an emergency, widespread acts of illegal price manipulation, impendency, unreasonable increase in the price of the basic necessity or prime commodity and whenever the prevailing price of any basic necessity or prime commodity has risen to unreasonable levels.

Pasig City Rep. Roman Romulo, one the authors of HB 4801, said the bill will enforce appropriate measures to stabilize the price of drinking and bottled water and strengthen consumer security especially during severe shortages, calamities and economic crises.

“The prevalent consumption of instant noodles has placed it in the ranks of basic necessities such as rice, corn, bread, fish and pork and with the Filipino people reliance on instant noodles, it is imperative that its price be subject to automatic freezing in areas affected by calamities and emergencies,” said San Juan Rep. Joseph Victor Ejercito, a co-author of the bill.

Among the other co-authors of the bill are Reps. Emmerenciana de Jesus (Gabriela party-list), Luzviminda Ilagan (Gabriela), Teodoro Casiño (Bayan Muna), Neri Colmenares (Bayan Muna), Rafael Mariano (Anakpawis), Raymond Palatino (Kabataan), Antonio Tinio (ACT Teachers), Albert Garcia (Bataan), Tomas Apacible (Batangas), Joel Duavit (Rizal), Ferjenel Biron (Iloilo), Arthur Defensor Jr. (Iloilo), and Antonio Alvarez (Palawan).