The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has ramped up efforts to monitor prices and ensure sufficient supply of basic and prime commodities in areas placed under a state of calamity, despite the worsening impact of the southwest monsoon, enhanced by successive typhoons.
DTI’s regional and provincial offices have been deployed to conduct continuous ground monitoring to enforce compliance and guard against profiteering in affected markets.
“Our monitoring teams are on the ground daily in all affected areas, from public markets to supermarkets to protect consumer welfare and ensure that prices of basic goods remain stable and fair,” said DTI Secretary Cristina Roque.
Under Republic Act No. 7581 or the Price Act, a 60-day price freeze is automatically imposed on essential items such as canned sardines, processed milk, instant noodles, bottled water, bread, coffee, and detergent following the official declaration of a state of calamity.
The price freeze covers the provinces of Cavite and Bataan; the cities of Marikina, Las Piñas, Manila, Quezon, Malabon, Cebu, Meycauayan, and Dagupan; and 19 municipalities across Pangasinan, Tarlac, Bulacan, Rizal, Batangas, Palawan and Antique.
