THE DEPARTMENT of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Negros Occidental has urged anew consumers, especially parents and students, to be wiser in buying school supplies to avoid incurring heavy expenses and overspending.
Reginald Hudierez, trade and industry development specialist of DTI-Negros Occidental, Wednesday, May 23 said that there is a drawback in buying school items earlier without having yet the final requirements from the school.
In fact, parents and students are always advised to bring the list of these requirements to avoid purchases of unnecessary items resulting in additional expenses, Hudierez said.
“We urged consumers to really take time to canvass prices in different stores first before buying,” he said, adding that “it is a time-tested strategy for buyers to incur lower expenses through availing themselves of discounts and acquiring more affordable items.”
Starting this week, DTI-Negros Occidental already started the monitoring of compliance of commercial establishments including malls, department stores, and public market stalls to suggested retail prices (SRPs) set by the agency.
Based on the “Gabay sa Pamimili ng School Supplies” issued last May 15, prices of 80 leaves of composition and writing notebooks range from P12.20 to P34 depending on brand.
Spiral notebooks cost P12.20 to P34.75 while promo pack prices range from P129.75 to P164.75 also depending on brand.
For pad papers of various brands, the price ranges from P6 to P11 per 80 leaves. Writing and intermediate cost P11 to P42.75 and P12.20 to P33.75, respectively.
Three pieces per pack of the pencil should cost P12 to P37.50 while ballpen has SRPs of P5 to P30.75 per piece, also depending on brand.
Other products like crayons cost P12 to P69.75 per box; eraser - P7.50 to P14.75 per piece; sharpener - P8 to P34.75 per piece; and ruler - P9.76 to P32.75 per piece.
Based on DTI-Negros Occidental’s initial monitoring, local stores are compliant to the SRPs. Supplies also remained stable.
Aside from prices, buyers are also urged to prioritize quality of the products.
To ensure quality, Hudierez said they should make sure that school items are free from defects.
“They should balance the price and quality,” Hudierez said, adding that the public should obtain the right value for the products they purchase like ensuring an accurate number of leaves or pages indicated for notebooks and pad papers.
Moreover, DTI-Negros Occidental has already monitored an increase in the number of buyers among stores especially in Bacolod City selling schools supply items.
The volume is expected to further increase starting next week, a week prior to the start of classes on June 4.