THE Provincial Government of Davao Oriental has directed all local government units (LGUs) in the province to activate their respective municipal price monitoring teams to ensure price stability.
Through Executive Order No. 25, series of 2026, Davao Oriental Governor Nelson Dayanghirang said that current economic fluctuations and supply chain disruptions require proactive monitoring of market prices to prevent increases in the cost of goods in the province. This comes after continuous increases in petroleum prices due to the ongoing war in the Middle East, which has driven global oil prices upward.
“There is an urgent need to activate and strengthen the Municipal Price Monitoring Teams to ensure strict adherence to Suggested Retail Prices (SRP) and shield the consuming public from unfair trade practices,” Dayanghirang said in the executive order.
In the order, he cited Republic Act (RA) No. 7581, also known as the Price Act, as amended by RA 10623, which stipulates that it is the policy of the state to ensure the availability of basic goods and prime commodities at reasonable prices while protecting consumers against hoarding, profiteering, and cartels.
Section 1 of the executive order states that all city and municipal mayors in the province are directed to activate their Municipal Price Monitoring Teams or Local Price Coordinating Councils.
The duties and responsibilities of the monitoring teams include conducting regular price monitoring in public markets, supermarkets, and retail stores to track the prices of basic commodities; ensuring compliance with the Price Act and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) price bulletins; and submitting weekly price monitoring reports to the Office of the Governor.
Other responsibilities include informing the public about the SRP and identifying “price billboards” in major trading centers, as well as recommending the filing of charges against establishments found to be engaging in price manipulation, hoarding, profiteering, or cartels.
Earlier, the provincial government convened the Provincial Price Coordinating Council (PPCC). It said that through the PPCC, coordinated monitoring and response measures will be ensured to protect consumers and maintain stable market conditions in the province.
To recall, the LGU also issued Executive Order No. 23, series of 2026, in compliance with Presidential Memorandum Circular No. 114, series of 2026, which adopts measures to strengthen energy conservation and improve government efficiency.
The order requires offices to implement energy-saving measures and adopt a four-day compressed workweek, from Monday to Thursday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. RGP