Police to help check prices of basic goods in calamity areas
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police will help monitor price freezes in areas that have been declared under a state of calamity.
Director General Oscar Albayalde, PNP chief, said in a briefing Monday morning that aside from the more than 4,000 officers deployed and on stand by for search and rescue operations, police will also make sure prices of basic commodities will not skyrocket in the aftermath of widespread fooding over the weekend.
He said the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and police and intelligence units will help the Department of Trade and Industry monitor price freezes in areas officially under a state of calamity.
He said that as of Sunday, the province of Cavite and the cities of Marikina, Olongapo, and Balanga have declared states of calamity. On Monday morning, One News reported that Meycauayan, Bulacan had also declared a state of calamity.
According to a National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council report on Sunday evening, a state of calamity has been declared over four provinces (Cavite, Bataan, Occidental Mindoro, Pangasinan) and 28 cities and municipalities. Some of the declarations have been up since July.
Official declarations give local governments access to emergency funds and implements price controls on basic commodities.
According to the Price Act of 1992, basic commodities include the following:
- rice
- corn
- bread
- fresh
- dried and canned fish and other marine products
- fresh pork, beef and poultry meat
- fresh eggs
- fresh and processed milk
- fresh vegetables
- root crops
- coffee
- sugar
- cooking oil
- salt
- laundry soap
- detergents
- firewood
- charcoal
- candles
- and drugs classified as essential by the Department of Health.
Heavy monsoon rains over the weekend caused widespread flooding that left thousands stranded and that prompted class and work suspensions in some areas on Monday.
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