TO ADDRESS or forestall any unreasonable increases in the prices of basic and essential goods and commodities in Davao City, the City Government reconstituted its Price Coordinating Council.
The City Government issued on October 6, 2023, Executive Order No. 28 Series of 2023 or “An Order Reconstituting the Davao City Price Coordinating Council, Defining its Functions and Powers, and for other purposes.”
Based on the EO, the local government saw the need to increase visibility and intensify the monitoring of prices to protect consumers from unscrupulous traders and retailers, and to prevent any abuse from unwarranted increases in the prices of basic goods and commodities.
According to the EO, the mayor shall sit as the Price Coordinating Council Chair with the Regional Director or duly authorized representative of the Department of Trade and Industry XI as Vice Chair.
City local offices and national government offices comprise the council members.
To form part of the membership are Representatives from each of the Consumer, Agricultural, Producer, Manufacturing, and Retail sectors.
The powers and functions of the Council are as follows: to coordinate with sectors and industries regarding programs by the national government intended to stabilize prices and supply; to conduct in-depth analysis on causes of price fluctuations; and, to recommend actions or steps to correct unwarranted price increases and supply shortages.
It is also part of its function to ensure that the price offered for sale at retail should be publicly displayed with appropriate tags or labels indicating the price of such articles and that such articles are to be sold uniformly and without discrimination on the stated price, under Republic Act No. 71 or the Act Requiring Price Tags or Labels to be Affixed on All Articles of Commerce Offered for Sale at Retail and Penalizing Violations of Such Requirement; and, to seek technical assistance from national government projects or programs related to local enterprises to mitigate the problem, particularly on the informal local enterprises in their city.
The Council shall meet at least once every quarter and as often as may be necessary.
The Davao City Investment Promotion Center (DCIPC) shall act as the Technical Secretariat providing administrative and technical support to the Council. CIO