DTI chief: No price hike on school supplies

MANILA, Philippines - Prices of school supplies like notebooks, crayons, pencils and paper will not go up this coming school year, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said yesterday.

DTI also appealed to school uniform makers to hold off any planned price adjustment because there is no need for it.

In a hastily called press conference, Trade Secretary Jesli Lapus said he consulted with manufacturers and distributors of school supplies yesterday afternoon and extracted a commitment that they would hold off any price increases.

Papermakers, however, said they will raise the prices of their products in the second half of the year because the price of pulp in the world market has been steadily rising.

“International pulp prices have been increasing but it is not going to affect the consumers at this time. Possibly in the second half of the year,” Lapus said.

Demand for school supplies usually picks up a month before classes start in June.

Lapus also appealed to sellers of customized school supplies to comply with quality standards, making sure that their products are free from toxic chemicals.

There had been reports that lead had been found in crayons and other school supplies. Lead is a highly toxic chemical that can affect the nervous system. Symptoms of lead poisoning include abdominal pain, headache, and anemia.

Lapus said they will be very strict in monitoring the quality of school supplies in the market.

He urged the public to buy only from reputable establishments and from identified manufacturers who indicate their name and place of business in the labels of their products.

“This is important so that we can go after them if there are any problems,” Lapus said.

Aside from the toxicity of school supplies, Lapus said they will also prohibit the use of violent or pornographic images on notebook covers.