A TIGHTER watch on price of commodities is being sought in Baguio City.
Councilor Arthur Allad–iw, in a resolution, is requesting the local Department of Trade and Industry and other agencies to strictly monitor unjust and unnecessary price increase of basic commodities during the time of the pandemic.
“We request agencies to deploy monitoring teams to check compliance to the price freeze and suggested retail price policy of supermarkets and even sari-sari stores,” the chairman of the Committee on Employment, Livelihood and Cooperatives and Persons with Disabilities added.
Allad-iw said there are reports that some retailers and sellers have hiked prices of food products such as rice, canned goods, and health items amid the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.
The Price Act has been in place which freezes prices of commodities at their prevailing price or placed under automatic price control. The law also mandates the Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Agriculture, Department of Health, Department of Energy and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to ensure the prices of basic necessities shall be automatically frozen at their prevailing price whenever an area is declared under state of calamity.
The entire country has been declared under a state of public health emergency on May 8 and has not been lifted since.
“The public needs to be protected from abusive people during the difficult time by ensuring that prices of basic commodities remain affordable especially now that income is totally cut,” the lawmaker said.
The resolution was approved during this week’s City Council session.