DTI checks prices of flowers, candles, bottled water ahead of #Undas2026
MANILA — The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) inspected the Dangwa Flower Market in Manila a few days before the All Saints’ Day holiday.
DTI Secretary Cristina Roque said the agency wanted to make sure that there are enough flowers, despite admitting this is not included in its regulatory powers.
Roque said she only wanted to encourage the public to buy local flowers to support the local floriculture industry.
“Yung prices ng flowers is not monitored by DTI, nag-ikot lang kami to check the availability of flowers and to encourage the consumers to also buy local grown flowers,” Roque told reporters.
Flower vendor Maribel Manzano told ABS-CBN News that local flowers are cheaper than imported varieties.
“Local po kami, meron po kaming imported…pandagdag lang po namin…‘pag marami po yung bulaklak, hindi sila nagtataas…tataas po, konti lang po…mga P20, P40…hindi po siya tataas ng mga P100 dahil meron po silang sinusunod na protocol – hindi puwedeng magtaas ng talagang sobra,” said Manzano.
Minda Claudio travelled all the way from Calamba, Laguna to Dangwa to buy flowers for her departed loved ones.
“Kasi mas mura dito, kagaya nung binili namin na orchids, dito mga P800 – P900 per bundle…sa amin, mga siguro P1,500 to P2,000. Sobrang mahal talaga, antaas—dati noon, pag may P1,000 ako, marami na akong arrangements na nagagawa. Eh ngayon, yung P2,000 ko parang isang arrangement lang,” according to Claudio.
The DTI also checked the supply and prices of candles at a supermarket in Blumentritt, Manila on Tuesday.
Roque said there is enough supply of affordable candles this Undas season and no price increase is set until the end of the year.
“Candles are way below the prices set by DTI, so again, compliance po sila. In case the manufacturer (wants) to increase their price, they need to write to DTI but so far, wala po tayong letter from the manufacturers so again, there’s no price increase for basic necessities and prime commodities up to December 31, 2026,” Roque told reporters.
With the threat of the super El Niño, the DTI also checked the availability of bottled water.
Roque said producers have assured her there is adequate supply.
“Sa bottled water – okay din, we are in close coordination with the manufacturers – two weeks ago sa isang manufacturing plant. They produce 65, 000 bottles every hour; that’s only in 1 plant, and they have almost 200 plants,” Roque said.
“Marami silang supply, so again, there’s no need to panic, there’s no need to hoard, we have enough supply of bottled water,” Roque added.