NO SELLERS of school supplies items have been caught violating the suggested retail price (SRP), as per monitoring of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

In a recent phone interview with Trade and Industry regional director Bel Ambi, she said that the monitoring of the school supplies is done nationwide.

She added that the result of the monitoring states that prices of almost all of the products are within the SRP or even lower.

Ambi also said that the reason that there are no violators caught is that the school supplies is a very competitive commodity and has a fast turn-over rate.

"We are regularly checking on the school supplies prices every May and June," she said.

Ambi said sellers who are caught pricing their products beyond SRP will be issued a show cost order wherein they will be given a chance to explain themselves. With the presentation of official receipts, DTI will check and investigate why the prices of the violator is high. The sellers will be advised to stick only within the SRP.

It was previously reported that the prices of school supplies have gone up. Ambi said there is a 16 to 22 percent increase in prices.

The products that are being monitored includes notebooks, composition notebooks, writing notebooks, spiral notebooks, writing papers, crayons, and sharpeners among others.

Ambi urge consumers to look for less expensive brands of school supplies when buying but at the same time ensure that the quality of the product that they will be buying is good. (Ceasar Ean John Manangkil, Notre Dame of Midsayap College)