No price hikes on basic goods until year-end, says Palace

MANILA – There will be no increase in the prices of basic necessities and prime commodities that are supervised by the trade department until the end of the year, Malacañang assured Tuesday.

Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said these include the 190 products that the Department of Trade and Industry monitors through the suggested retail price system. 

“Patuloy din ang ugnayan ng DTI sa mga manufacturers at retailers upang mabantayan ang supply, matiyak ang tuluy-tuloy na paghahatid ng mga produkto at mapanatili ang abot-kaya at matatag na presyo ng mga bilihing sakop ng ahensiya sa buong bansa,” Castro said in a press briefing on Tuesday, November 3. 

Castro also clarified that the prices of canned sardines that Philippine Amalgamated Supermarkets Association Executive Director Steven Cua earlier reported to have gone up are not part of the 190 items being monitored by the DTI.

“So, kung may mga produkto na hindi naman sakop noong 190 list noong DTI, nasa kanila po iyan, kumbaga, nasa pagdedesisyon po nila iyan kung magtataas po sila ng presyo dahil marami naman pong brand na maaari rin namang mabili na nandoon pa po sakop ng 190 na list ng DTI,” Castro noted.

The Palace official advised the public to buy other brands that are within their budgets.

“Lahat naman siguro masarap ang produkto, so sa mga pagkakataong ito kung ano po iyong puwede natin gamitin at bilhin nang nasa budget natin mas magandang tingnan na ang listahan ng DTI at iyan po ang minu-monitor at pinuprotektahan po ang mga kababayan natin na dito ay maaari ninyong bilhin,” she said.

Joint market monitoring of the DTI and the Department of Agriculture are also ongoing to supervise the prices of goods in wet markets, according to Castro.

The Palace advised consumers to reach out to DTI Hotline 1384 or via email consumercare@dti.gov.ph and reporttosec@dti.gov.ph for inquiries and concerns.