The Department of Trade and Industry said over the weekend it issued 69 violation notices to erring retailers as it intensified price monitoring operations to apprehend price freeze violators in typhoon-affected regions.
The DTI said it confiscated overpriced construction and hardware supplies, mostly in Surigao del Norte province.
It said the campaign covered overpriced consumer goods, including power generator sets, construction materials and fuel products in typhoon-hit areas.
“We reiterate our strong warning against the profiteers. Our DTI regional teams and the Consumer Protection Group, in collaboration with the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, have been relentless in this drive to catch profiteers and hoarders who are taking advantage of our countrymen who are already suffering from the damages caused by typhoon Odette. We will not hesitate to apprehend violators,” said Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez.
President Rodrigo Duterte, in a public address on Dec. 27, warned retailers that he would not hesitate to arrest hoarders and profiteers as he directed concerned agencies to a stop these activities.
Meanwhile, the DTI said it started the distribution of livelihood kits or “kabuhayan” packages to typhoon-affected micro entrepreneurs. Over 1,000 micro business owners from the provinces of Siargao, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Bohol, Cebu, Southern Leyte, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Guimaras and Iloilo benefited from the livelihood program.
The DTI said it would release the initial dole-out fund of P8 million to bring government services to the typhoon victims as soon as possible.
This is part of the estimated P150-million livelihood fund for 2,000 beneficiaries per typhoon-affected province, with each beneficiary entitled up to P10,000 worth of kabuhayan package.
Lopez also said Small Business Corp., an attached agency and financing arm of DTI, would open P500-million fund for micro, small and medium enterprise lending.
The fund will be offered at zero interest, with no collateral requirement, and with a grace period that will not require immediate principal payment to allow the affected MSMEs time to recover from the damage of typhoon Odette.
