THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Northern Mindanao has advised the public to avoid panic buying by purchasing only the immediate need and not to patronize online sellers exploiting the public health emergency following reports of hoarding and overpricing of alcohol in online selling platforms.
Hoarding and selling of alcohol and other disinfectants above their prevailing price is unlawful and any violators found to be practicing such unconscionable acts will face the corresponding sanctions.
DTI Misamis Oriental, through its Provincial Director Officer-in-Charge Almer Masillones, requested the members of the Misamis Oriental Retailers Association (Misorra) to regulate the selling of alcohol per buyer to help address the problem of hoarding and possible selling of items online at higher prices.
"This is to ensure that dili mamonopolize ang supply into one group or several persons only," Masillones said.
Some major retailers have already implemented their guidelines allowing a maximum purchase of only two bottles of 500ml alcohol per buyer, while other retailers are only allowing a maximum purchase of three bottles on any alcohol variant per buyer. The retailers further assured that there is enough supply of alcohol or disinfectants.
The DTI provincial office will continue its weekly price and supply monitoring to ensure that all retail establishments are complying with the prevailing price of the disinfectants and that supplies are still available to the public.
The public is additionally urged to report anyone selling alcohol and disinfectants at exorbitant prices to the nearest DTI office or in the official Facebook page of the DTI regional office at Facebook.com/DTI.Region10. (PR)