THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Misamis Oriental is working with the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) Anti-Cybercrime Group to investigate the alleged overpricing of alcohol and face masks online.
This came after DTI-Misamis Oriental director Almer Masillones said that as of March 10, there are no supply of N88, N95, and N100 surgical masks.
The only available masks in the market are those used to prevent inhaling dust particles, which are not as effective as the mentioned surgical masks.
"Naay available karon sa market pero di to nga quality nga katong niagi sa atoang FDA kay kini man gyud atoang sumala sa giingon sa DOH nga pwede ta makahimo og substitute but himoon lang na sya nga dust protection or pollution pero not necessarily kadtong protect gyud katong sa Covid-19," Masillones said.
"So dili sya mahimong substitute," she added.
Masillones said that at present, the DTI is focusing on those retailers of alcohol and face masks in the city, while the CIDG and PNP are doing the tracking of "unscrupulous" sellers online.
Meanwhile, prices of all basic necessities are frozen at its prevailing prices for 60 days in Cagayan de Oro City following the Proclamation 922, declaring a state of public health emergency through the Philippines due to the outbreak of Covid-19.
The Department of Health is also mandated to monitor and regulate drug prices, as well as ensure that consumers are adequately protected against profiteering, hoarding, cartels and the like that compromise their access to essential pharmaceutical products.
Essential medicines have been identified as a basic necessity especially in time of natural calamities and man-made disasters that put the health and lives of Filipino at risk because of unfavorable conditions that cause or aggravate disease which may lead to epidemics and massive death.
Among the essential emergency medicines, which prices have been frozen, are the face masks, sterile gloves, ethyl alcohol 70 percent solution, nebulizer, neb kit, and oxgen cannula.