Price freeze set on Ifugao, Mt Province, Central Luzon towns

BAGUIO CITY— Alarmed by the expected profiteering by erring individuals and unscrupulous businessmen, the Cordillera office of the Department of Trade and Industry ordered a “price freeze” covering prime commodities in the calamity-stricken Cordillera provinces Ifugao and Mountain Province including those in Central Luzon.

Reports reaching the regional Cordillera DTI office here showed supplies of prime commodities in areas affected by the collapse of bridges and road cuts in Ifugao and Mountain Province were earlier on critical stages.

As a result the DTI said there was need to impose the freeze on prices of products to avoid enterprising businessmen from taking advantage of the situation by unreasonably increasing their prices beyond the capability of local residents.

In Central Luzon, weeks after typhoons “Pedring” and “Quiel” left the country, the DTI regional office 3 said that price freeze was still in effect in seven areas in the region, including six provinces and one city, which have been declared under state of calamity due to the said typhoons.

Provinces which were still under price freeze, included Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, and Tarlac. Olongapo also implements such measure. The prices of basic goods such as processed milk, canned goods, coffee, laundry soap, detergent, candles, bread, and salt in these areas shall remain stable.