Following the issued Joint Memorandum Circular No. 3 series of 2020 where the role of Local Price Coordinating Councils in the LGUs are being strengthened to manage the unreasonable and excessive price increase of Basic Necessities and Prime Commodities (BNPCs), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), together with the Department of Agriculture (DA), discusses with Metro Manila Mayors to assist in strengthening the price stabilization of Agricultural products in their respective jurisdictions.
This is in view of the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) issued Suggested Retail Price (SRP) for Basic Necessities in Wet Markets in the National Capital Region (NCR) through Administrative Circular No. 17 series of 2020 where SRP is implemented in the listed agricultural products in order to lessen the current difficulties of the public brought about by the pandemic and from the series of calamities during the last months of 2020.
While the DA presented to the LGUs their plans to strategize and stabilize food supply and prices in the wet market such as intensifying price and supply monitoring, enforcement and adjudication by the LGUs and DA; increase of shipments of hogs from ASF-Free areas in Luzon; expand KADIWA programs in partnership of various Agricultural federations; impose Price Ceilings on pork and chicken, and etc., Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon M. Lopez, being the Chief of National Price Coordinating Council (NPCC), suggested for the LGU Market Masters to seek a dialogue with retailers and “viajeros” on SRP implementation and come up with a registry of stakeholders involved in the Agri products’ supply chain (from farm to retail) to further investigate or clarify price spikes in the market.
“DTI’s Consumer Protection Group (CPG), through its Fair Trade Enforcement Bureau (FTEB) and regional monitoring teams, will also be on the ground and assist the DA towards ensuring reasonable prices in the market”, Secretary Lopez underscores.
“DTI also reminds consumers to be vigilant in the prices of Basic Necessities in the market and report if there are any price discrepancies through Consumer Care Hotline 1-DTI (1-384) or email consumercare@dti.gov.ph“ CPG Undersecretary Castelo added
For the list of DTI issued SRP for Basic Necessities and Prime Commodities consumers may visit DTI website at https://www.dti.gov.ph/konsyumer/latest-srps-basic-necessities-prime-commodities/ and for List of SRP for Basic Necessities in Wet Market in NCR, consumers may visit DA website through https://www.da.gov.ph/laws-and-issuances/administrative-circulars/