CEBU, Sept. 25 (PIA) -- Following a declaration of state of calamity by the city council due to heavy flooding caused by Typhoon Mario, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has implemented a price freeze on basic goods in Cebu City.
DTI Central Visayas (DTI-7) regional director Asteria Caberte explained that with “the declaration of a state of calamity by a local government unit (LGU) in a particular area the prices on basic goods shall automatically be frozen at their prevailing prices.”
Caberte said a price control is in effect for the duration of the condition that brought it about but not more than 60 days.
Section 6 of RA 7581 otherwise known as the Price Act, a price freeze is automatically implemented as a preventive measure in order to thwart overpricing of goods such as processed milk, canned goods, coffee, laundry soap, detergent, candles, bread during times of calamities, Caberte added.
The Price Act lists the basic necessities assigned to DTI are canned fish and other marine products, pro-cessed milk, coffee, laundry soap, detergent and bread.
Assigned to the Department of Agriculture (DA) include: rice, corn, cooking oil, fresh eggs, fresh pork/ beef and poultry meat, fresh milk, fresh vegetables, root crops, sugar, fresh/ dried and other marine products.
Assigned to Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) are firewood and charcoal; and the Department of Health (DOH) – drugs classified as essential by DOH.
The DTI, as chair of the National Price Coordinating Council (NPCC) coordinates with members from government and private sectors to cooperate with one another during natural disasters and emergencies. (mbcn/PIA7/with reports from DTI 7)
The DTI, as chair of the National Price Coordinating Council (NPCC) coordinates with members from government and private sectors to cooperate with one another during natural disasters and emergencies. (mbcn/PIA7/with reports from DTI 7)