THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Negros Occidental has started the creation of a local price data base, which will serve as basis of implementing automatic “price freeze” when the province is placed under a state of calamity.

On Thursday, the agency has deployed five monitoring officers to check and gather existing prices of basic and prime commodities in 355 key establishments in all six districts of Negros Occidental. Bacolod City is not included.

These key establishments include supermarkets, hardware, construction and grocery stores, and wet markets that sell manufactured products covered by Republic Act 7581, or the Price Act, and are being monitored by the agency.

The additional personnel hired by DTI-Negros Occidental will strengthen its price monitoring operations, trade and industry development specialist Reginald Hudierez said.

Hudierez said the monitoring officers, who are job order employees contracted for six months, will conduct a monthly updating of prices.

“The data base of prices for all the districts will mainly help DTI in making sound decisions in terms of implementing price freeze in the province during calamities and disasters,” he said.

Price freeze is automatically imposed for 60 days in areas placed under a state of calamity.

Under the Price Act, prices in an area proclaimed or declared a disaster area, or under a state of calamity or under an emergency shall be automatically frozen at their prevailing prices or placed under automatic price control.

DTI-Negros Occidental targets to complete the local price data base most probably by the end of September, and will be subject to a monthly updating.

“With the projected full effects of La Niña phenomenon that could bring stronger typhoons in the last part of the year, it is timely for the agency to finally have the data base,” Hudierez said.

After six months and if there is available fund, DTI-Negros Occidental will rehire the five monitoring officers to continue the updating of prices.