By J. Jala | 04:31 AM December 23, 2021
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has warned business establishments in Bohol against violating the price freeze as they could be held liable for taking advantage of consumers in the wake of Typhoon Odette.
DTI said stores in the province should observe a price freeze since a state of calamity has already been declared in Bohol.
The price freeze is current prices of products should be the same as before the typhoon happened.
Buyers who have been victimized by unscrupulous traders to file a complaint before DTI office.
Sections 6 and 7 of Republic Act 7581 or the Price Act provide that “prices of basic necessities in an area shall automatically be frozen at their prevailing prices or placed under automatic price control whenever that area is proclaimed or declared a disaster area or under a state of calamity; and a price ceiling may be imposed on any basic necessity or prime commodity considering the impendency, existence, or effects of a calamity.”
Basic commodities include items such as rice, corn, bread, fresh dried and canned fish, fresh pork, beef, and poultry meat, fresh eggs, fresh and processed milk, fresh vegetables, sugar, cooking oil, salt, and laundry soap as well as and drugs classified as essentials by the Department of Health.
Prime commodities considered essential to consumers in times of calamity, for instance, include nipa shingles, GI sheets, hollow blocks, plywood, construction nails, batteries, electrical supplies, and light bulbs, among others.
