Daanbantayan Diskwento Caravan rakes in over P700k in sales

CEBU, Philippines -  The two-day Diskwento Caravan of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Daanbantayan, Northern Cebu generated sales of around P700,000 from mostly construction materials.              

This signifies that survivors of the super typhoon Yolanda are now slowly recovering and rebuilding their homes.

DTI Cebu Consumer Welfare and Business Regulation Division Chief  Zaide Bation said in an interview that construction materials such as nails, plywood, galvanized iron sheets and wires from the Federal North Hardware, Inc. were sold out.

Meanwhile, she said that only three sacks of rice out of the 70 from the National Food Authority were left unsold during the caravan.

Bation further shared that they still have to coordinate with the local government units in other areas of  Northern Cebu on which part will they conduct the next Diskwento Caravan.

She also encouraged hardware store owners and manufacturers of construction materials to participate in the program of the trade department now that most of the affected families from the typhoon are geared into the rehabilitation phase.

Among the participating companies in the Diskwento Caravan in Daanbantayan included Unilever, Virginia Food Inc.,  Artifact Innovation in Motion Inc., Ever Consumer Sales Inc. Ever Link, Unitop General Merchandise Inc., Ever Dynamic Distribution Network Inc., Liwayway Marketing, Vismin Advent Traders Center and Federal North Hardware, Inc.

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.

DTI- 7 headed by regional director Asteria Caberte also conducted the Diskwento Caravan in Tacloban City last November after organizing a series of the program in Ormoc City, Baybay in Leyte, Calbayog in Samar, Maasin in Leyte and Catbalogan in the same month.

The Diskwento Caravans in Maasin and Baybay, Leyte reached P1.9 million and 4 147 transactions last November 18 and 19. The successful run of the Diskwento Caravan in Ormoc City last November 14 also generated around 8,803 transactions and reached a total of  P833 743 in sales.

Earlier, Caberte said that the Diskwento Caravan conducted in calamity areas ensures 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 remains in effect in provinces such as Bohol, Negros Oriental, Cebu, Siquijor and Leyte which were placed under a state of calamity due to damages brought by a 7.2- magnitude earthquake and category 5 typhoon.

“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.  

The price control 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.

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

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