THE Department of Trade and Industry - Davao Region (DTI-Davao) investigated 29 establishments for overpricing, since the community quarantine in Davao City was implemented in March this year.
DTI-Davao City Director Rachel Remitio said the agency has been conducting daily monitoring and enforcement activities to 47 establishments in the city. As of May 7, these 27 establishments already issued letters of inquiry.
She declined to name these establishments, which are supermarkets within malls, and those with standalone branches.
Remitio said a letter of inquiry from DTI-Davao are given to establishments that sell items excessive to the retail price set under the Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2020-01 entitled “Price Freeze under a State of Calamity throughout the Philippines due to the Coronavirus Disease 2019” (JMC) of the DTI, Department of Agriculture (DA), and Department of Health (DOH).
“They are given 72 hours to explain in writing why they exceeded their price rate,” the official said in a radio interview Thursday afternoon, May 7, via 97.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio.
This would be forwarded to DTI central office for verification.
Establishments who will fail to comply with the order, otherwise, will be filed with a notice of violation. The said notice will also be issued to them if their claims and presented receipts from the distributor would be deemed unreasonable and invalid.
However, no establishments were ordered closure after some establishments immediately complied with the price range after failing to show proof of their increase.
Meanwhile, Remitio said they are continuously monitoring other establishments to ensure they are compliant with the guidelines set by the national DTI.
She also encouraged customers who have complaints regarding unscrupulous increase on essential products and items to forward their complaint to the agency for immediate action.