DTI urged: Monitor price hike of goods

CANDABA - Locals here are urging the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to closely monitor the movement of prices of various goods in the market particularly this rainy season.

The call came as prices of vegetables, fish and other basic commodities remarkably increased after a week of heavy rains.

“Ang talong po dati P15 hanggang P20 kada kilo pero ngayon po ay umabot na sa P30. Ang repolyo naman mula P40, ngayon P60 na (Before, you can buy a kilo of eggplant at P15-P20, but now, it costs P30, while a kilo of cabbage has increased from P40 to P60),” a plain housewife, Normita Sanchez, said.

Sanchez added that traders should refrain from taking advantage of the rainy season to increase their earnings, at the expense of the people.

“Hindi pa naman ganun kahirap ang pagpasok ng produkto sa palengke natin. Normal pa naman ang sitwasyon kahit nag-uulan sa mga nagdaang araw kaya sana kung magtataas sila ng halaga ng bilihin ay huwag naman sobra,” another resident here pointed out.

Sun.Star learned that before the rainy season started, the price per kilo of tilapia was only P80. Now, it ranges from the P90 to P100 per kilo.

However, what is more alarming is that despite the increase of its price, there is not enough supply of tilapia in the market.

Earlier, an official from DTI-Pampanga warned traders who are overpricing basic commodities.

Nathaniel Samson, a DTI senior specialist, previously stated that they have already deployed additional personnel to check the prices of goods and commodities in the supermarkets and public markets.

This came after receiving numerous complaints from consumers that some traders are engaging in overpricing of goods deemed essential during calamities.