DTI says no hoarding when Pablo hit Negros Oriental

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines  – There was no hoarding of commodities during and after super –typhoon Pablo slammed the province this week, according to the Department of Trade and Industry in Negros Oriental.

Javier Fortunato, Jr., head of the DTI provincial office on Friday said monitoring of consumer goods continued even as people were noted to be “surge buying” shortly before Pablo hit Dumaguete City and other parts of Negros Oriental.

The common items that were selling like hotcakes included flashlights and LED lamps, batteries (mostly Size D), and noodles.

Shelves in many stores were immediately replenished as suppliers and distributors had assured the DTI of high buffer stocks. Only a number of stores reported that they ran out of certain items.

The DTI also reported that no change in the prices of consumer goods was reported or monitored at the height of the super typhoon’s onslaught.

The provincial DTI office undertook a pre-disaster, actual and post-disaster monitoring to ensure that no business establishments or enterprising individuals would take advantage of the situation and jack up prices at the mercy of consumers.  (FREEMAN)