DTI: Automatic price freeze in areas declared under calamity

‘No NFA rice shortage in Baguio, Benguet’ 

BAGUIO CITY -- The Dept. of Trade and Industry warned  business establishments and consumers that “price freeze” on basic commodities is automatically in effect in areas placed under the state of calamity.

               DTI Baguio – Benguet provincial director Freda Gawisan said under Republic Act 7581 or the Price Act of the Philippines, automatic price control is up in areas that are proclaimed or declared a disaster area or under state of calamity. Aside from basic necessities and prime commodities listed or being monitored by the DTI, this also   covers those under regulation of the Department of Agriculture, Department of Health and Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Petroleum products such as kerosene and gasoline as well as bottled drinking water are also included in the price freeze, Gawisan added.

              Under Section 6 of RA 7581, unless declared by the President, prices of basic necessities in an area under state of calamity shall be frozen at their prevailing price.

              Section 7 of the same law, also gives power to the President to impose a price ceiling on any basic necessity or prime commodity which prevailing price is found to be excessive or unreasonable, as per recommendation of implementing agency or the local price monitoring council.

              Under the Price Act of the Philippines, any person who violates Section 6 or 7 of this act shall be penalized  of imprisonment for a period of not less than one year nor more than 10 years; a fine of not less than P5, 000 nor more than P1 million,  or both at the discretion of the court.

             As of Sept. 18, the provinces of Kalinga and Benguet as well as the municipalities of

Mayoyao and Aguinaldo in Ifugao in the Cordillera region were declared under the state of calamity by their respective local government units.

              This, as the DTI assured ample supply of imported National Food uthority rice in Baguio and Benguet saying prices of basic commodities are within the range of the suggested retail price.

               DTI Baguio-Benguet provincial officer Freda Gawisan said there is no NFA rice shortage in Baguio and Benguet, based in the latest monitoring of the local rice task force composed of their department, NFA, National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine National Police – Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.

              “As of today, there is enough supply of NFA rice on display and piled at the market stalls selling NFA rice.

               There are no queues at the stalls and the task force will assure the public that supply is not only available but that the NFA rice is not being sold like commercial rice,” she said.

                The DTI and local task force was created and monitors on a daily basis the supply and prices of NFA rice in the area and make sure that NFA rice is not sold as commercial rice.

                She bared that 17,000 bags of imported rice from Thailand arrived at the NFA warehouse in Loakan Road, which is expected to last for two weeks. 

               The rice supply will be distributed to the different NFA retailers in Baguio and Benguet.  - PIA CAR