30 retailers found violating price freeze in Cebu, Bohol

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has issued notices to 30 retailers which have violated the price freeze imposed in the earthquake-hit provinces of Bohol and Cebu.

In a statement, DTI Central Visayas director Asteria Caberte said the department found the retailers violating the price freeze based on their monitoring of wet markets and supermarkets.

“We did check the prices and supplies of basic goods in 236 outlets. From this exercise, we found 30 retailers – six retail establishments and 24 retail stores – that were selling more than the dictated prices of basic necessities… and as such, we have issued them their notices of violation that summon each one of them to explain why they were selling much more than the set prevailing prices,” she said.

The 30 establishments would undergo due process and the DTI Consumer Welfare and Business Regulation Group (CWBRG) will provide the necessary assistance to DTI-Central Visayas by sending mediation or adjudication officers to handle the cases, said DTI-CWBRG officer-in-charge Victorio Mario Dimagiba.

He added that the DTI-Central Visayas would continue to monitor the prices of basic necessities in Bohol and Cebu.

Both provinces were placed under a state of calamity following the destruction brought by the 7.2-magnitude earthquake earlier this month.

As both provinces were placed under a state of calamity, an automatic price freeze is presently being enforced.

The imposition of a price freeze means that basic commodities should be sold at prevailing prices.

The price freeze covers rice, corn, bread, fresh, dried and canned fish, pork, beef, poultry, eggs, fresh and processed milk, vegetables, root crops, coffee, sugar, cooking oil, salt, laundry soap, detergents, firewood, charcoal, and candles.

The price freeze also covers drugs classified as essential by the Department of Health.

The DTI earlier had issued a list of prevailing prices of basic commodities in both provinces to serve as guide to consumers.

Under Republic Act 7581 or the Price Act, violators of the price freeze will have to pay an administrative fine of up to P1 million and/or face a maximum of 10-year imprisonment.