DTI expands coverage of Diskwento Caravan

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Trade and Industry Region-7 (DTI-7) now extends the Diskwento Caravan program to typhoon victims in Maasin, Baybay, Catbalogan and Calbayog and intends to reach out to affected families in Tacloban Leyte all within this week.

DTI-7 regional director Asteria Caberte said that the trade department aims to stabilize the food supply in calamity areas through Diskwento Caravans and bring basic necessities at discounted prices to consumers particularly those located in areas affected by super typhoon Yolanda.

The Diskwento Caravan is a flagship project of DTI where basic necessities and prime commodities such as bottled water, canned goods, coffee, milk, noodles, rice, biscuits, and bread among others are sold at discounted prices. It is designed to uphold the rights of consumers to have access to prime and basic goods.

The trade department is in Baybay, Leyte and Calbayog, Samar today for the Diskwento Caravan. The project was also held yesterday in Maasin, Leyte and will be conducted in Catbalogan tomorrow.

This was after the successful run of the Diskwento Caravan held in Ormoc City last November 14 that generated around 8,803 transactions and generated a total of P833,743 in sales.

DTI-7 plans to visit Tacloban, Leyte to organize another Diskwento Caravan this Thursday.

The DTI Central Visayas regional office is in close coordination with the DTI Eastern Visayas Office, local government unit and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in holding the Diskwento Caravan in Ormoc.

The trade department brought in retailers and manufacturers from Cebu and Bohol such as Alturas Group of Companies, Dranix Distributors, Inc., Purefoods, San Miguel Corporation, Gardenia, NutriAsia, Nestle, Unilever and Century Canning.

Caberte emphasized the significance of conducting Diskwento Caravan in calamity areas in ensuring local consumers to have enough access to essential goods and stabilized prices of basic commodities in the midst of the crisis.

She further reminded the public that the price freeze on basic and prime necessities remains in effect in the provinces of Bohol, Negros Oriental, Cebu and Siquijor which were placed under a state of calamity due to damages brought by a 7.2 -magnitude earthquake and category 5 typhoon Yolanda.

“The declaration of a state of calamity in a particular area renders an automatic price freeze on basic goods and considers prevailing prices at the time of the declaration as the actual price of these products,” she explained.  

She added that a price freeze is automatically implemented as a preventive measure in order to thwart overpricing of goods such as processed milk, canned goods, coffee, laundry soap, detergent, candles, bread during times of calamities as stated in Section 6 of the Republic Act 7581 or otherwise known as Price Act.

The declaration states prices of basic necessities in an area shall be frozen automatically at their prevailing levels or placed under automatic price control and shall remain effective for the duration of the condition that brought it about but is not for more than sixty days unless sooner lifted by the President.

The mandated price ceiling is applicable when that area is proclaimed a disaster area or declared under a state of calamity, under an emergency, suspended with its privilege of the writ of habeas corpus, placed under Martial Law, declared to be in state of rebellion or state of war.

Caberte warned businessmen who will be proven to have violated the law will be penalized for profiteering in price freeze areas with an administrative fine of up to P1 million and/or a maximum of 10-year imprisonment.

She also encouraged consumers to report any cases of price increase and the name of establishment to the trade department.

DTI-7 provincial offices are also currently monitoring the prices and supply of construction and electrical materials and the compliance to mandatory standards.

The Price Act lists basic necessities as identified as goods vital to the needs of consumers for their sustenance and existence, while prime commodities are goods not considered as basic necessities but are essential to consumers.

DTI is responsible in implementing the Price Act in consultation with the Price Coordinating Council and other stakeholders such as members from the government and private sectors especially during natural disasters and emergencies. /JOB (FREEMAN)