The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) wishes to assure the Filipino public that the supply and prices of necessities and prime commodities (BNPCs) remain stable nationwide.
Following the issuance of Executive Order No. 110, which declares a State of National Energy Emergency, the DTI clarifies that an automatic nationwide price freeze under the Price Act (R.A. 7581) is not currently in effect.
The Department emphasizes the following points to guide consumers and retailers:
Targeted nature of EO 110
Executive Order No. 110 is a strategic measure specifically designed to address potential disruptions in the global oil supply chain. It activates the UPLIFT (Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport) Program, which provides targeted subsidies to the transport and agriculture sectors. By stabilizing the cost of moving goods, the government is proactively preventing the very inflationary pressures that would otherwise necessitate a price freeze.
Voluntary private sector commitment
In recent consultations with the DTI, 21 major manufacturers of essential goods—including canned sardines, bread, bottled water, instant noodles, and coffee—have formally pledged to maintain their current prices for the next 30 to 60 days.
This industry-wide cooperation ensures that prices remain fair without the need for mandatory government intervention.
Adequate inventory levels
Our latest monitoring shows that inventory levels for necessities remain sufficient. No shortage of supply would justify artificial price spikes.
Vigilant monitoring
While a formal "freeze" is not in place, the DTI’s consumer protection teams are on heightened alert. We continue to check compliance with the Suggested Retail Price (SRP) bulletin and monitor BNPCs without SRP.
Any retailer found engaging in profiteering (raising prices by more than 10 percent with justification) or hoarding will face the full force of the law, including administrative fines and potential imprisonment.
The DTI remains committed to balancing the interests of consumers with the economic realities of our local manufacturers.
We encourage the public to remain calm and report any unreasonable price increases to the DTI Consumer Care Hotline at 1-384 (1-DTI). PR